In The Army Now
by beautiflxoblvn
Summary: Ally's Boot Camp experience is rough enough to endure, but there's something, or rather someone that will make her time spent becoming a soldier ten times worse - a Drill Sergeant sent straight from the bowels of hell that takes an instant dislike to her mere presence… Austin Moon. He's evil, he's mean, he hates her, but even worse - he lusts after her. NOT A MILITARY FIC! READ ME!
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own, nor do I profit from, the Disney Channel program 'Austin & Ally' or the characters therein. They are simply used in the following story for my own entertainment. Original story 'In The Army Now' written for the Buffy fandom by Im_bloody_english. This work belongs to her and I take no credit for the story line. Names and locations have been changed to suit the Austin & Ally fandom. No copyright infringement intended.

**I know what you must be thinking: ANOTHER story from Bridg while the others are still sitting unfinished? I know I know I know, and you're right – I'm crazy. BUT – I have been working on all of them and I plan on updating them all at once for a beautiflxoblvn overload for you all… especially your favorite "I'll Be Seeing You." That's right! UPDATE COMING LATER THIS WEEK! Eek! I know, I can't wait for you guys to read it either.**

**In the meantime… this was always a favorite of mine and I wanted to share it with you. Don't worry, it's not about the Army but you'll see why it works once you get into the first couple of chapters. I cannot stress enough, THIS IS NOT MY STORY. I DID NOT WRITE THIS. Like 'Room Service' and 'Coming Clean', this has been adapted from a Buffy fanfiction that I read ten or so years ago, and I've noted so in my disclaimers that you will see in the beginning of every chapter. I like this, though, because I find the story line very original and I believe it's nice to throw something different in there every once in a while, and this one is certainly different… in the best of ways. Give it a shot, and make sure to tell me whether you like it or not in a review. If I get a lot of disinterest, I'll forfeit this one and we will move on, but I'll never know unless you review. ;)**

**oOo oOo oOo**

**CHAPTER ONE**

Her recruiter had told her what to expect, but honestly... she didn't think it was going to be like **this**.

Fucking bastard lied.

After arriving by bus at the welcome center of FT Littleton, nothing could have prepared her for the greeting she and the other recruits received. The second the charter bus door opened, Ally and the rest of the young men and women who were going to go through boot camp together were welcomed by a group of about sixteen Drill Sergeants, shouting at the top of their lungs to 'move their asses, fall in and form a line'.

After much scrambling around, they'd managed to form up in several long rows but the shouting and insults didn't cease. They were told they were 'too slow', a 'disgrace to the uniform they hadn't even put on yet', they 'were weak, sniveling, undisciplined'... basically, they were nothing more than shit. For a full fifteen minutes, the verbal insults continued as each Drill Sergeant walked around putting their faces within millimeters of each and every recruit, spittle flying everywhere, personal attacks on their appearance being made...

She tried to remain still and keep to herself but it was of no use. Ally already suffered her share of the insults when she came face to face with what would become her worst nightmare... Sergeant Moon.

"Well, well, well," he jibed sarcastically. "What do we have here?"

His bleached blonde hair was the first thing that threw her off; the second was his stunning good looks. Sharp cheekbones, strong jaw, inhumanly perfect lips, the bottom one so full and kissable she momentarily forgot she **had** a boyfriend back home in Miami. And those eyes, possibly the most amazing shade of dark chocolate she'd ever seen. Their intensity was captivating, lending themselves to his incredibly strong presence, drawing her in to marvel at their beauty. They pierced hers, hypnotizing her with his heated stare. She was told earlier not to 'eye-ball' any D.S. by staring directly at them, so she quickly looked down. Like all the other Drills, his uniform was heavily starched with a weird looking belt about his waist. It was green, wide with metal lined holes set at even intervals and bunched the material of his long camouflage top, accentuating the fact he had a slim waist. The sleeves to his uniform were rolled up, revealing lean arms covered with tightly corded muscles, strong bulging biceps and forearms that reminded her of a swimmer's build; this man was **fit**. _Good lord_, it wasn't like she was purposely checking him out, but when he placed his hands on his hips, she couldn't help but think he had the most beautiful hands she'd ever seen. She was a big 'hands' person and his were just, well, perfect.

_Stop it, Ally. For God sakes the man is your Drill Sergeant __**and**__ you have a boyfriend_.

She answered him with what she hoped was the correct response. "Private Dawson, Sir."

He went off on her, yelling the entire time. "I am not some spoilt, sniveling pretty-boy with a degree hiding behind some desk pushing paper all day. I work for a living and wear stripes for rank," he pointed to his collar where the insignia was sewn onto his uniform. "…and that means you WILL address me as Sergeant. DO. YOU. UNDERSTAND?" he shouted so loud his face was red from the effort.

"Y-yes." She stammered nervously. He had a formidable, dangerous air about him that spoke of nothing but harsh contempt, much stronger than that of the previous Drill Sergeants. He scared her to her shaky core. It was clear she had pissed him off on some personal level.

"Yes, SERGEANT, is the appropriate response after anything you say to me or any of the other Drill Sergeants you see here in a brown hat."

"Yes, Sergeant."

"Why are you whispering? Are you flirting? Trying to hit on me? Asking me out on a date or something?"

"NO... Sergeant." Her eyes flew open wide, what the hell was that all about? She quickly answered him again, this time a little louder. "No, Sergeant."

"Oh. So what you're saying is I'm not good enough for you?" He loved this part; taking soft spoken women and getting them to find their voice, speak up loud and clear.

"Yes, Sergeant." He arched a surprised eyebrow at her. "I mean no, Sergeant."

"So you ARE asking me?" Tilting his head to the side he watched her eyes fill with confusion and fear before answering.

"No, Sergeant."

"So I'm not good enough then? Which is it?"

She felt trapped, like she was insulting him no matter which way she answered. "No, Sergeant?" _Uh oh_. He had her so rattled and confused that she went for the most insulting answering, putting it into question form, hoping **he'd** tell her what her answer should be.

"Right then." He nodded once at her. "From now on, sound off like you mean it." No, he probably wasn't her type, with her delicate features and good looks he imagined she went for the 'quiet pouty lip' type. Like that actor guy, what's his name, Yak Efron. or something? Didn't matter, the reason for the insults was to break the recruits down mentally so they could build them back up, shape and mold their minds to think like a soldier.

He narrowed his eyes on her, taking in the amount of makeup she wore, her shampoo commercial hair and girly sparkly outfit. This one would be fun to break, oh yes. Another silly little fluffy cheerleader type thinking she can make it as a soldier in his Army. _Hmmph, not if I have anything to do with it_.

Austin M. Moon was the type of soldier that didn't care for women joining the military. Though they had their uses in certain fields and he showed the proper respect at all times around them, to him, this was a man's world, cut and dried. He felt they weren't 'mentally equipped' to handle what it took to go to war which was, after all, the reason for and bulk of the initial training they received here at boot camp... to be prepared to go to war. They would be drilled to stand, march, respond to orders in an unquestioning manner, to act unhesitatingly in the face of real combat situations as well as trained in basic marksmanship with weapons, hand to hand combat, physical fitness training, first aid, protective equipment usage, and basic survival techniques.

Throughout his career, government orders kept him traveling approximately every two years to a different state and duty station all across the continental U.S. Here, at this current location in the mid-west, his job was simple, be a Drill Sergeant. Day in and day out he turned civilians into soldiers, and he'd grown particularly fond of the 'breaking' process... especially when it came to girls like Ally. The way she was dressed looked like she was ready to go to the mall. With her skinny jeans and sparkly tank top, jewelry everywhere and long chestnut hair that looked silky to the touc... _enough_.

He got right in her face, stared her down and made sure his tone of voice conveyed the seriousness behind his words.

"I'll be watchin' you. You so much as BLINK wrong and I'll be there, breathing down your neck. I'm gonna be on you like flies on shit for the next nine weeks of your miserable life, making sure you know exactly what you are... nothing."

Standing perfectly still, the strong aroma of his cologne permeated the air around her.

"Do we have an understanding, Dawson?"

"Yes, Sergeant." She responded without hesitation, not wishing to anger him further than she apparently already had, though how she had was a mystery.

He stood to his full height and tugged the hem of his shirt, curtly nodding once. _Good. A woman that knows her place_.

He walked away to terrorize the next poor unfortunate that dare enter **his** Army, denying any instant attraction he felt when his nostrils filled with the delicate scent of her vanilla perfume and cherry lip gloss.

He'd been engaged twice before. First to Brooke, who'd gone insane while he was deployed to the middle east **and** wound up pregnant by one of the many men she'd run around with. Then Piper, his second and quite **sane** girlfriend, had chosen to tear his heart in two by openly cheating on him with their neighbor's husband, thereby ruining not one marriage but two. Never, **never** again would he attempt to enter into marriage. Those vows were a joke and women couldn't be trusted to keep their legs closed. His career, on the other hand, was the one constant in his life he could count on.

Austin had migrated from Colorado to California with his mother and father at the age of fourteen. He instantly fell in love with the adversity of his country, the beauty and the freedom and what it stood for, and with his fathers' persuasion, joined the U.S. Army on his seventeenth birthday. He was both teased and ridiculed for his surfer boy appearance until, over the years, he'd gained both rank and respect. Twelve years, two ex-fiancé's, five different duty stations and several ranks later found him a bitter, twenty six year old man with a small paycheck yet proud of his service to this fine country. As far as he was concerned, he was married to Uncle Sam and would remain loyal `til the end.

He was the senior most ranking enlisted personnel in charge of the cadre designated to train incoming recruits. The only two people he had to report to were his immediate superiors, who rarely came around; his First Sergeant and the Company Commander. His best friend and former comrade in arms from his time spent in the desert was already part of the Drill Sergeant Team, Sergeant Desmond "Dez" McCarthy. The rest of the cadre were a new set of new faces that over the last several months, he'd come to know and nicknamed. Sergeant Daniel Jacen, "Jace" - the jokester, Sergeant Kira Starr - the slut, Sergeant Elliot Finn - 'white-bread', Sergeant Charles "Chuck" Green - the nerd, and a host of about nine other people, enough to see at least eighty recruits through all the training they were to receive.

Their job was not an easy one and they counted on each other to get through the long twelve hour shifts they had to spend acting like the devil's minions. All the insults and punishment they doled out wasn't what the Army was really like once basic training and schooling for their individual military specialties was completed. Every week and a half, they rotated their schedule so they would have one full day off from the brutal schedule and every three weeks they had two days off in a row. Austin only **had** his job, his career and therefore always made sure everyone, especially those with family, got more than their allotted share of time off by volunteering to cover shifts. He rarely took a day off and still had yet to take more than one day off in a row.

There were a few of his co-worker's, he learned right away, that hated acting like monsters towards the females coming through boot camp and he very quickly tightened the reins and made it clear that in his eyes as well as the government's, they were soldiers first, both male and female alike and the treatment was to be the same for both.

The first couple of days were spent getting the recruits outfitted into camouflaged **B**attle **D**ress **U**niforms, otherwise known as BDU's. The males were shaved bald, females instructed to keep their hair pinned up at all times, ugly looking glasses issued to anyone who needed prescription eyewear. They all had to go through vaccinations like a conveyor belt, receive dog tags and then lock all their personal 'civilian' belongings away. No mp3 players or electronic equipment, no makeup, cologne or perfume, civilian bras, socks or underwear were allowed. The only effects they **could** keep on their person were pictures of family and one necklace if the pendant were of a religious nature, such as a cross or catholic Saint. They were taken to a store that held military approved items in order to re-buy everything. The men could have cared less about any of the changes, but the women were horrified. Gone were the pretty lacy thongs they were used to and what now would covered their womanly parts were bras and underwear of such horrid design even their own grandmothers would refuse to wear, saying there was way too much material.

"So, Malibu Barbie, what's the matter? Not happy with your new panties?" Austin overheard Ally complaining to another female about the injustice of having to wear the medieval garments. She ducked her head and didn't answer.

He walked over to her, seething with anger that she ignored him. "Pay for your stuff and meet me outside," he commanded her gruffly through gritted teeth.

"Yes, Sergeant." _Great, just great_. She did as she was told and headed out the door. Maybe... if she could slip deep into the back of formation, she could avoid being seen. Yeah, right!

"Dawson!"

She stopped short and turned around to face him. Four feet, she was only four feet short from her goal when he caught her.

"I told you to come see me, NOT rejoin your fellow soldiers." He waited until she turned around then extended one arm, snapped his fingers and pointed to the ground in front of him. "Front and center." She ran up to him and stood with her hands tucked at the small of her back, her elbows out straight, a proper stance otherwise known as 'parade rest'. "WHAT is your major malfunction, Private? Cuz unless you're deaf, you just defied a direct order."

"Sorry, Sergeant." _He's not going to let this go, I just know it_. So far, she'd been dropped for pushups by this gorgeo... ahem, evil man every time they crossed paths.

"Oh, so I'm a sorry Sergeant now?"

"NO! No, Sergeant, that's not what I meant, Sergeant." _Damnit_, how did he always manage to twist whatever she said around?

"So you're not sorry?" She was definitely at the top of his shit list.

Before she could answer, his attention shifted over her shoulder. She didn't dare do anything except stare straight ahead and though she couldn't see what had distracted him, she clearly heard a male voice, slightly louder than everyone else's. It sounded like he was whining about something.

"Run in place `til I tell you to stop, Dawson." He stormed off to deal with another problem child... Private Dallas Perez.

She couldn't help herself. As her feet began to jog, she made a one eighty so she could see the commotion. Yup, there was Sergeant Satan, barking at Dallas, another recruit, and oh shit, _is he actually talking back at him_?

She, along with everyone else, had to keep from laughing. Apparently the whiner pushed Sergeant Moon too far because his punishment was beyond humiliating. He was skipping in 'The Wizard of Oz' fashion around everyone else, holding his hat high in one hand while picking and throwing invisible posies from it, singing 'nobody understands me' to the children's taunting tune of na na naaa na naaa naaaaa.

Oooops, Ally didn't turn back around fast enough.

"Dawson, let's go back to the barracks shall we? You smell too pretty. Time to introduce you to the mud pit."

_Huh_?! Didn't sound good whatever it was. And sure enough, once Austin had marched them all back to their new 'home', there was a nice big, brown, wet, gooey hole full of nothing but mud to which she rolled left and right in, end to end, over and over.

_That'll teach Miss Delicious Vanilla Dawson_. She always smelt so good, too good and it unnerved him. He couldn't figure it out. He, along with all the other Drill Sergeants, ransacked every recruit's locker, searching for anything they might have been stupid enough to smuggle in and keep from their personal belongings. He half expected to find perfume in hers, but to his amazement, there was nothing there that didn't belong. Even her shampoo and soap were of the basic 'get yourself clean' unscented variety. _Hmmph_. Well the mud pit would take care of the disturbing, natural smell of her... _like vanilla sugar cookies_. He shook his head, returning his attention back to her, telling her to get up, that her fifteen minutes were done and she had five minutes to shower and be back in uniform before chow. Her Army issued shorts and T-shirt were stuck to her body, outlining her scrawny figure. How the hell did she keep from blowing away during a strong wind? This wouldn't do. She needed some meat on her bones if she ever expected to make it through Basic. Seemed he'd have to put her on a little diet, fatten her up a bit, make her exercise a little more to be sure it went into building some muscle.

Those first nights she went to bed, it was next to impossible to get any sleep. Ally could feel every spring and coil through the two inch thick mattress of her bunk and it creaked every time she moved. The blankets they were issued were made of pure wool, and she swore she was going to draw blood from scratching her skin so much. Her small room was sterile looking with only two beds and two standup closets. The **only** good thing about it was her roommate, Trish de la Rosa. Trish was mouthy but sweet. They got along well as they whispered away throughout the sleepless nights, talking about where they were from and why they'd joined. Both had signed up for the same job, to be a combat medic or as the Army termed it, Medical Specialist. They were happy to know they would be going to school together after 'Basic'' and could already smell the freedom after leaving this place. The two tried their best to stick together, knowing these nine weeks were going to feel like nine years.

A simple two story building was where they were assigned to live and train while their Drill Sergeants filled them with fear, made them train, sweat, integrate them into the military lifestyle of a soldier. Their days were to be spent learning how to make and stand in a formation and, while marching or running, sing weird and sometimes disturbing cadences about blood and battle. They also needed to learn all the endless acronyms the government had for nearly every piece of equipment, clothing, supplies, weapons and training specific exercises. And if all this wasn't enough to overload their brains with, they were being 'dropped' for pushups, sit ups, made to stand for an hour holding a heavy log over their heads or 'take a roll in the mud pit' every time they so much as dared to speak when not spoken to.

Naturally, there were those few who couldn't keep it together mentally or hold their tongue and language to their superiors. These unfortunates were discharged from the Army for 'failure to adapt', but only **after** given ample opportunity to get their act together through 'corrective training', aka getting screamed at and tortured by being made to perform physical feats of strength even Hercules himself was incapable of. Out of the seventy eight men and women Ally arrived with, there were only fifty eight left by the end of week one that were both 'fit' and 'forced' by having signed the dotted line, to see the rest of the way through to graduation.

Eleven of these remaining recruits were females, which were quickly grouped together and given one side of the hallway for their sleeping quarters on the second floor. The Drill Sergeant's office lay directly between them and the other half of the hallway where both the lavatories and the male's sleeping quarters lie. Everyone was informed that sexual harassment in any of its various forms would not be tolerated by either male or females towards the opposite sex. Whether it was a look, a touch, or a suggestion, that soldier would 'regret the day their mother ever opened her legs for their conception'.

Ally was exhausted. She, along with everyone else was never allowed too much sleep, never more than four hours at a time it seemed. They were ritually woken up at random hours of the night to 'get dressed into full battle gear and be outside in formation in exactly five minutes'. The incessant scrambling to make it happen while half asleep was hell. And as always, when a Drill Sergeant began counting backwards from sixty during the last remaining minute, they became frantic, terrified by the possible punishment they would receive if even one soldier were late while the rest stood ready.

The soldiers were informed they would be allowed to write letters home 'if they could find the time' and that mail call would be had every day right before going to chow. In addition, every Sunday after they were allowed to go to church services if they so chose, they could all line up at the one and only phone booth at the edge of the street their building was on to call home. They could spend no more than a huge, grand total of five minutes before they were to hand the phone off to the next person.

When her first Sunday arrived, Ally chose to call her parents first instead of her boyfriend, Gavin, because she knew her mother would kill her if she didn't. After her five minutes were up, she used her bathroom time and other stolen moments to finish her first letter to Gavin.

_My dearest Gavin,_

_I guess the only thing I can write to you about is everything I've been doing here so far, boring as you may find it._

_First fun fact about life here in Hell is that every morning at 5:30 a Drill Sergeant walks the halls, yelling for us to get our asses outside. We wear the ugliest sweats and T-shirts and then make a formation to get ready for PT, which means physical training, though I prefer to call it physical torture._

_We do push-ups, sit-ups, leg lifts, squats, and much more as the Drill Sergeants take turns screaming at us. After all the pain and insults are finished we get to "cool off" which means a two mile run. There's a Drill in front to lead us, Drills on either side that yell and make fun of us, making sure we keep up with the formation and one Drill to the rear to pick-up the stragglers who couldn't keep up. Boot camp isn't all physical though, we have to think too which is a contradiction to what they tell us, "You're not here to think, we do the thinking and you follow orders."_

_We have classes on different subjects, such as the workings and firing of an M-16, how to throw a hand grenade and safety classes that go along with them. I'd get into those but then you really would be bored._

_There is this one Drill, Sergeant (Psycho) Moon, who has it out for me and unfortunately he's assigned directly to my platoon. He's on my ass every chance he gets, making me do pushups for breathing wrong, run around the building ten times holding my rifle over my head and if I'm lucky, I get to go to the 'house of pain'. He's had me sit in an invisible chair with my back against the wall then tells me how much time I have to spend that way. It's always something ridiculous like twenty minutes. I'm sure he does it on purpose because I can never make it before my thighs hurt and burn so much I fall to the floor. Then because I failed he makes me do something else equally impossible that wears out my arms, like balancing heavy objects on each palm while stretching my arms out with my elbows locked._

_It was raining the other day and he decided the females needed to improve our running time so we got drenched for over an hour in this freezing rain while doing sprints. I'm still trying to get over the cold I caught the next day. I swear the man is out to kill me. He's past being insane, he's like mentally unstable or something. Nearly every day he makes me roll in the infamous mud pit and usually right after I shower so I'm forced to go to the chow hall filthy. I have to do twice as much laundry as anyone else. Oh and let me tell you, he follows me through the meal line and makes me pick food that will make me gain weight. Apparently I'm so sickly looking that I must have been a bulimic before coming here. And let's not forget he makes sure I eat all of it, too. I almost did throw up during the first week._

_Not all the Drills are like that though. Like the other day when we had locker inspections. Sergeant McCarthy, my other platoon Sergeant, looked inside my locker and saw a cockroach running around inside. He's got a pretty good sense of humor and told me to get rid of it because we aren't allowed pets. Most of the Drills are decent enough despite the insults and can be pretty funny at times. Sometimes they march us around in circles while they sit at the center and tell us funny jokes, trying to make us laugh. When we do, they make us do push-ups but some of their jokes, especially Sergeant McCarthy's, are so worth it._

_Well, this is as much as I can write if I want to get this letter out to you by tomorrow. It's like a nightmare come true here and I miss you so much. I love you Gavin. Please write me as much as you can, I could use something to look forward to. I'll try to call you next Sunday._

_Love,  
>Ally<em>

**oOo oOo oOo**

_-Week 2-_

"Bradshaw," **fwoosh**, "Soto," **fwoosh**, "Withers," **fwoosh**, "Nelson..." Austin continued holding up each piece of mail, read out who it was to, then flung it through the air to that soldier with a flick of his wrist. "De la Rosa," **fwoosh**, "Dawson." He cocked an eyebrow when he spotted hearts drawn all over the envelope. _Your corn muffin, Gavin. Huh_. Looks like she has a boyfriend back home. _What sort of girly man draws hearts on an envelope_? Smirking, he knew this was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Ally anxiously waited for him to throw it her way, but when he got that evil grin on his face she knew she was in for some form of ridicule.

"Now who the hell would want to be writing to you? Let's see. Your **corn muffin**, Gavin. Awwwww isn't that cuuuuuuuute. Look everyone." He turned it around and held it up. "I'd like to draw your attention to all the lovely artwork this pansy drew for Dawson."

_Oh my God. Please say he didn't do something like that_. She sat cringing in the corner of the common room where they were herded in on a daily basis to do everything from mail call to role call. _I am so screwed_. Yup, there were hearts drawn on it alright. Everyone snickered around her. Everyone that is, except for the only two people she'd managed to make friends with, Carrie and Trish. Ally had gone from being moderately popular all her life to being the class joke here at boot camp. Trish rubbed her shoulder for support. She too agreed that Austin, as they came to find out was his name, was particularly harsh and cruel with her, never sparing her a moment's peace and took advantage of her every wrong move to embarrass and torture her. She looked up into Trish's eyes and watched her shake her head and put on her 'resolve face', the one that said to ignore it and act like it didn't bother her.

"Let's count them shall we? One, two." He looked up and ordered them. "I said let's count them together." The rest of the recruits instinctually chimed in. "Three, four, five..." And together everyone counted a grand total of ten between the front and the back. "Ahh, what's this?" As he lowered the envelope to his lap he heard something rattle. Holding it up to the light and turning it carefully, he spotted what looked like it might be a piece of jewelry. _This just keeps getting better and better_. "Ten hearts is gonna cost you ten full minutes of squats, ten full minutes of pushups and ten full minutes of sit-ups. And since there's somethin' rattling around in here," he shook it to make his point. "That'll cost you thirty minutes in the mud pit tonight."

_Erghhhh, fuck you, you blonde... blonde-Californian prick._

"Come up here and open this in front of me. Gotta make sure your GAVIN," he threw his hand over his heart and used a high pitched, swooning voice which earned more snickers from those in the room. "Didn't send you any contraband."

Gavin had sent her something? At first her heart jumped for joy but quickly lodged itself in her throat to beat in terror. If he sent anything she wasn't supposed to have, she was going to be in for a lot more than sixty extra minutes of exercise tonight. She stood up and made her way towards the front of the room.

He handed it to her and watched as she opened it. She tilted the envelope and tore at the corner which made a gold necklace fall out onto the floor. He watched her bend over to pick it up and his eyes immediately went to her backside.

_Still too bony_. He tried to convince himself that every time his attention was drawn to her, ahem, 'assets', it was for the sole purpose of seeing whether or not the diet he'd forced her on was working. Like the time he'd taken all the female soldiers out for a run in the rain and their PT uniforms became drenched, clinging like a second skin to their bottoms. After thirty minutes of sprints, he took them on a two mile jog... with Dawson right in front of him. He couldn't see in the rain unless he kept his head down where he had no other choice but to watch her lovely backside sway. He had to admit the diet was starting to help, but she still seemed too thin.

He averted his eyes when she stood, holding a necklace with a simple gold cross on the chain. _Hmmph_, why couldn't it have been something else so he could punish her for her stupid boyfriend's lack of judgment?

"Very good. You can keep it." When she went to walk away, he stopped her short. "I'm not through with you yet, Dawson."

_Why am I __**not**__ surprised_. The temporary happiness she'd found from discovering her gift quickly fled.

"Why don't you open your letter right now? Let's hear what _**corn muffin**_ has to say with the rest of your fellow soldiers?"

Dez, who'd been sitting to the right of Austin, looked at him in surprise. "Aus, man," he shook his head at him with disapproval then leaned in to whisper. "Don't do that, that's personal." Austin raised his hand in a 'stop right there' fashion and gave him a warning glare to stay out of it.

He wanted her to do **what**?! _Okay, I can get through this. He probably just wrote about work and family anyways_. No big deal, he would get bored the minute she started reading about pouring cement and probably tell her to stop. **Wrong**! She read the first page out loud and as she suspected, aside from a few normal 'I love and miss you's', most of it was about what new project he was currently working on with his father. She could only pray that he would make no mention about her reference to Sergeant Moon or else she would be spending the rest of her time in the mud pit whenever they weren't training. The thought terrified her as she read on.

_Boring_. The man was a country song writer? Surely someone as pretty as she was could do better than **that**. Of course he could care less **who** she was dating, nope, he didn't care if she dated a convict. He yawned, acting bored on purpose, circling his finger in the air behind her back so that everyone could see him more or less saying 'big deal, whoop-d-doo'. She turned to the second page and he didn't think he could take any more of it.

"Do you remember that time when your dad went away for the weekend and we..." She turned bright red and stopped reading altogether. Her eyes quickly scanned the next few lines and her hands began shaking.

"Keep readin', Dawson." He hadn't really been paying too much attention, but when she turned to face him, her face scarlet, shaking her head 'no', his curiosity peaked.

"I-I can't, Sergeant."

"You CAN and you WILL. Now read."

"Please," she looked to Dez for help. She overheard his whispers and knew he didn't agree with what Austin was doing to embarrass her. "Don't make me, Sergeant. I can't."

Austin became furious at her refusal to follow his order and snatched the letter from her hands. When she squeaked in horror, he shot her a look to remain quite. He read the first few sentences and had to stop himself. This boyfriend of hers was going into detail about a very intimate moment they had in her bedroom. No wonder she refused to read any further. It wasn't appropriate. Actually, it was inappropriate that he was reading a private correspondence of any one of his soldiers. It wasn't forbidden, but he'd crossed a line he knew even **he** shouldn't have. He'd been furious though, and now that he'd read some of the things she'd shared with this man, he was oddly furious about what this guy actually got to do to her lovely body. It was too erotic, and the written words created clear images in his mind of a naked Ally writhing in pleasure. He handed the letter back and told her to go sit down.

Both he and Dez handed out the rest of the mail then allowed the soldiers fifteen minutes of free time to read their letters while he went outside for a smoke. Dez followed him out of the building.

"What's up with that? Did someone in her family get sick? Get hurt or something?" He didn't know what to make of either Austin or Private Dawson's reaction. He guessed it had to be some private family related issue of that nature. Even Austin wouldn't make her read something like that out loud, his heart wasn't that cold.

"Yeah, somethin' like that." Somebody was **sick** alright... him. Some man had done things to her that he wouldn't mi... _What the fucking fuck_?! Where did that come from? Sure, she was pretty, had a nice body, but that didn't mean he lusted for her. The image the letter produced came rushing back in his mind's eye, making his hands shake with a touch of anger towards himself for even thinking what he was thinking.

"Is it something she may have to go home for?"

"Nah. I'm sure her boyfriend has everything well in hand." _Yeah, using his hand to jerk off to thoughts of her_. He mentally kicked himself for getting irritated over **that** thought as well. Her boyfriend at home, jerking off to her image, knowing what her soft body felt like, knew how smooth her porcelain skin felt to the tou..._stop_! He couldn't go there, had no right to go there. He blamed it on his self inflicted abstinence for any sexual thoughts at all. Didn't matter if it was Ally, it had just been far too long and he brought it upon himself by reading her letter in the first place.

"You know? What you did back there? That's just not right, man. I mean what's with you? Why do give her such a hard time? She's a good kid... tries harder than anyone else here to do her best."

"Are you questioning my training tactics?" He didn't bother hiding the irritation in his voice.

Dez threw his hands up. "Whoa, you know I wouldn't do that. Just seems to me, and everyone else I might add, that you're overdoing it where she's concerned. Forcing her to read her letter out loud just wasn't cool." Dez had a sneaking suspicion as to the reason why, but it was so absurd an idea that he would never bring it up. A tiny part of him thought Austin might be attracted to her.

"How long have we been friends now? Five, six years, is it?"

"About that, yeah." He knew that look. The look his friend was giving him right now that clearly said he wasn't **going** to see things that way.

"Then trust me when I say she needs every ounce of discipline I give her and let the subject go." He threw his cigarette down and stepped on it.

"Alright, alright. No need to get testy, it's me here you're talking to. If you say she needs it then she needs it. I trust you."

"Good. Let's go back inside."

As they walked into the barracks to deal with the rest of their shift, Austin tried to push aside the whole incident from his mind while Dez still questioned Austin's motives behind his antagonistic behavior.

**oOo oOo oOo**

"I can't believe he read that, did that to you." Trish rubbed her friend's sore back after Sergeant Moon finished putting her through the ringer from her punishment. They were back in their room and it was ten minutes before lights out.

"It's done now. I just want to forget about it, roll over and sleep for a week. At least he won't ever do it again." She hoped not. Seems the bastard knew no bounds when it came to humiliating her.

"I still think you should go to the First Sergeant and tell him. I don't think they're supposed to do things like that."

"And risk pissing him off when he finds out? Noooooo, thanks. Besides, he probably wouldn't even get in trouble for it and then I'd spend every waking second in the mud or the 'house of pain'." She groaned as Trish tried to work out the kinks in her neck. She didn't think she would be able to get through this place if it weren't for her and Carrie.

"Let's get some sleep. When it's my turn with the washer, I'll throw your clothes in with mine. That way you don't have to get up."

That's when laundry time usually occurred, throughout the night. All the females took turns so they were sure to have clean clothes for the following day.

"You don't mind?" Trish gave her the 'duh' look as she climbed into her bunk. "I owe ya one."

"No, you don't, now go to sleep; we're going to need it. We'll be out on the firing range all day tomorrow."

"Yay us." The only good thing about that was that half of her time would be taken up with lying down on a pile of sandbags and when Austin came in for his shift, he couldn't mess with her too much.

**TBC**

**oOo oOo oOo**

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**Until next time…. ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own, nor do I profit from, the Disney Channel program 'Austin & Ally' or the characters therein. They are simply used in the following story for my own entertainment. Original story 'In The Army Now' written for the Buffy fandom by Im_bloody_english. This work belongs to her and I take no credit for the story line. Names and locations have been changed to suit the Austin & Ally fandom. No copyright infringement intended.

**WOW! 42 reviews on chapter one and in only one week! I am honestly blown away. I feared this would get little to no interest and you guys have proven me wrong! The best part about this story… its technically already complete! As long as the interest keeps making itself known, the chapters will make themselves posted each week. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart, for the support you show me on not only this story, but all of my stories. I am one lucky, lucky girl! *MUAH***

**oOo oOo oOo**

**CHAPTER TWO**

_End of week 3_

Austin hadn't let up on Ally one ounce. In fact, things only got worse.

During a locker inspection one afternoon, he got his first glimpse of 'that pansy, Gavin' from a photo she had taped to the inside. He regretted making that little discovery because now he had a face to associate with what he'd read in her letter. Oh, he'd **tried** not to think about that, but whenever his mind had a chance to drift or he was looking at her, the image filled his head. It aggravated him to no end that he didn't have a legitimate reason **why** it bothered him so much and the need to vent that spirit of vexation led him to misplace his anger by focusing it on the source... Ally. And unfortunately for her, this was happening with increasing frequency.

If things weren't bad enough from the stress he felt over his unmentionable thoughts about Ally, Kira had 'approached' him several times over the last two weeks in her own 'unique' way about getting together some night for drinks. It would have been all too easy to take her up on the offer, break the long bout of abstinence he'd imposed upon himself and get rid of some sexual frustration. But the last thing he needed was to catch something from her and have his dick rot off. She finally backed off two days ago much to his relief. It seemed when she couldn't seduce him she'd moved on to Elliot, who didn't put up a fight.

And just as surely as bad luck comes in threes, he also had a new Drill Sergeant added to his cadre, Sergeant Trent Jackson. He came from a sister unit **and** under mysterious circumstances. No one knew exactly why he'd been pulled out in the middle of his own cycle to be placed here, and Austin felt uneasy about the whole ordeal. When he questioned his commanding officer, he was merely told that there were rumors that couldn't be proven, and Jackson's own commander had him transferred. Trent appeared to be a 'regular guy' who performed his duties flawlessly, but there was something about him that didn't sit right with Austin from the moment they'd met. He hated that feeling just as much as not knowing why he'd been transferred so he decided to watch him, curious to see what, if any, odd behavior would clue him in.

In the meantime, he asked Dez to see if there was anyone he could find that might be able to 'dig up' some dirt on Trent without being found out. After a couple days, Dez came back with some disturbing news. A friend of a friend that used to work with him had this to say... 'Watch him around the females'.

"The guy didn't want to say anything more, but after I bought him three more beers he was singing like a lark. Check this, Austin, apparently Trent fancies himself a sly enough playboy that he 'may' have entered into a sexual relationship with one or more recruits under his care. Seems he has a knack for always having an alibi that CAN be confirmed, which was why he was transferred here."

They found all this out only **after** they'd already heard him make a handful of casual comments about their own female soldiers. They hadn't thought much of it at the time because they **were** so few and far from being blatantly lewd. Now that they knew, however, Austin and a few select of his most trusted staff watched him like a hawk, particularly because Ally happened to be the main subject of those comments. He felt like he needed to watch her more often too, fearful she was the slime-ball's target and that he might decide not to give up on his more than illegal behavior. If anyone caught anything that could be proved beyond a shadow of a doubt, Trent was gone; Austin would make sure of it.

**oOo oOo oOo**

At the chow hall, Ally sat across from Trish, pushing her food around her plate.

"I swear if I have to swallow another bite of this rubbery substance they call cheese I'll puke. I've gained so much weight I feel like a cow and he STILL won't back off from making me eat all this fattening junk. I may as well tape it to my thighs."

Trish giggled and took the cheese from Ally's hand, turned her friend's palm down and balanced the dairy product on her skin. "Now chant with me." She closed her eyes. "I wear the cheese, it does not wear me."

Ally burst out laughing. "You are such a dork."

"Made ya laugh though." They both continued their fit of giggles until they saw Austin round the corner with his own tray of food.

They immediately dropped their gaze and composed themselves. As luck would have it, when Ally pulled her hand back too fast, her cheese fell to the floor. She bent to retrieve it and when she sat back up, he was right there to greet her.

Setting his tray on their table he stared at Ally, who was conveniently shoving food in her mouth and averting his gaze. _Not gonna get off that easy, honey_. He picked up her cheese and looked at it. Sure enough there were a few specks of debris from the floor stuck to it.

He threw it on top of her lunch plate. "Eat it." Ally looked up, the horror in response to his direct order written all over her face, making the corners of his mouth curl up. "I'm waiting."

He was serious, _oh, God_. Picking it up, she hastily folded it twice and shoved the entire thing in her mouth. She tried to swallow but her gag reflex kicked in.

"If you don't swallow that right now, Dawson, I'll make sure you eat five more slices before I leave this table."

And she just knew he'd follow through on that threat, too. Praying she wouldn't throw up, she swallowed hard, feeling the disgusting substance slide too slowly down her throat. Her eyes instantly watered as she fought back the funny tasting saliva that filled her mouth, signaling she was close to regurgitating. Grabbing her water, she chugged the entire glass, trying to wash out the taste as well as get the vile food to complete its journey to her stomach.

He picked up his tray, satisfied when it appeared she was going to keep it down. "I'll be back to make sure you eat the other two slices on your plate as well before you leave."

Trish waited until he was far enough away and offered Ally an apologetic look. "I don't know if this helps, but at least you got it within the ten second rule." Ally still looked ill when she glared at her.

"Not helping."

"Uhm, a little dirt never hurt anyone?" she squeaked. When she got the same response, she picked up Ally's other two slices and grinned wide, trying to make a joke out of it by wiggling them.

Ally put her hand up to her mouth. "Stop that before you end up wearing the one I just swallowed."

"This is me, putting the cheese down now."

**oOo oOo oOo**

_Week 4_

_My dearest Gavin,_

_I miss you, sweetheart. I hope work is going well for you and your record deal. I got your second letter the other day, thank you so much. It's nice to hear what's going on at home. It feels like I'm a million miles away here in the third circle of hell. Oh, before I forget, thanks again for not drawing anything on the envelope. That evil Drill Sergeant I told you about gives me extra work to do if there's anything on it except for a return address. God, he's such an ass. Oh and dad sent me our senior prom picture. I have it taped up in my locker._

_What's new with me? Hmm, well, things are definitely getting more intense around here now that we're in phase 2 of our training. We got to put bayonets on the end of our rifles and run around like idiots, stabbing at the air screaming KILL at the top of our lungs or pretend to hit invisible enemies in the head with the other end of the rifle yelling BUTT STROKE TO THE HEAD. It sounds silly and you feel silly when you do it but I get why we have to learn it. If only they'd let us practice on the Drill Sergeants. I wouldn't mind landing a butt stroke to the groin on Sergeant Wacko, make him sing soprano for a week._

_Oh and the gas chamber? Totally gross. We went in with our chemical masks then had to remove them. My eyes watered up so bad I couldn't see and snot was pouring through my nose. By the time they let us run out of there, everyone was coughing so bad some people threw up. I didn't luckily, but it wasn't until then that it became clear why they let us eat as much as we wanted during lunch right before we went in, so we would puke, sick bastards that they are._

_The Drill Sergeants are starting to let up on harassing us individually. Now they harass us as a group or in pairs of 'battle buddies'. My bunk mate Trish is my battle buddy, which basically means if either one of us screws up, we get punished as a pair. Of course Sergeant Psycho still hasn't let up on me one bit. We have this thing called Fire Duty where everyone pulls a one hour shift through the night to be on look-out for, well, I guess a fire. Anyway, seems I get stuck with it around 2AM. There's nothing to do during that hour except shine my boots. So stupid because they only get dirty the next day._

_We've gone to the range quite a bit lately to practice shooting our rifles at paper and pop-up targets as well as throw hand grenades. Can I just say that even with ear plugs they are way louder than how the movies portray them? I got to fire a bunch of other really cool weapons, like the grenade launcher, the AT4 rocket launcher but my favorite was the M60. It's that machine gun that's propped up on a bi-pod with a long string of large bullets that feed into the chamber. We had to lie down to fire it because the recoil against the shoulder is so powerful it would probably send me flying back home. I got such a rush from the power that weapon has that I so get it now. I mean guys and their whole fascination with shooting things. You pull the trigger once and it fires off about 100 rounds per minute._

_We're going through obstacle courses now, too. The course started off with three different types of rope bridges, three-rope bridge (one you walk on and two to hang on to), the two-rope bridge (one to walk on and one to hold on to), and the one-rope bridge (where you go hand-over-hand). After that we climbed the tower and swung over the pit and repelled down the 200ft. wall. And that's only one of the many different stations of the course._

_Well, church service is almost over and I really need to end this letter here so I can get it mailed out tomorrow. I love you so much, Gavin, I hope you can make it to my graduation so I can see you at least once before I head out for school._

_Love,  
>Ally<em>

She made sure she'd hid her latest letter to Gavin inside her uniform before heading back to the barracks. She was excited that she would be able to call him today and nothing was going to ruin her good mood. Not the mud pit, invisible chair or any of the new and improved punishments Austin had put her through lately. Well, the cheese thing really grossed her out, but she got over that like she had with everything else. In truth she'd become much stronger over the last few weeks like everyone else had from all the physical training. That didn't make it any more fun to do, but at least she was learning to tolerate more as 'pain became her friend'.

Austin watched the soldiers from the window in his office as they called home one after another. Even though both Dez and Elliot were out there keeping an eye on Trent, he felt the need to watch him as well. He caught sight of Trent looking briefly at Ally when it was her turn in the booth, but it was only that - brief. He switched his attention back to Ally and looked at his watch as she dialed the phone. For every second she went over five minutes, he'd have her doing something extra as punishment. He watched as she twirled her hair and smiled away. He'd only seen her smile twice, probably because whenever he was present she had no reason to. He looked back in Trent's direction to find him engaged in a conversation with both Elliot and Dez. He was about to look back at Ally when he saw the trio all look in the same direction at the same time. He followed their gaze directly back to Ally and it was obvious everyone in line was also focusing on her. He watched her waving her arm around, a distressed look on her face. She looked upset.

When she hung up the phone he glanced at his watch. Nope, she hadn't gone over her time but... what the hell was she doing? He watched Trent walking towards her and Austin immediately tightened both fists at his side. Dez sprinted past him, however, and waved him off. He relaxed and took in the curious scene before him as it played out. Dez walked her away from everyone else and back towards the building, stopping twenty feet short from it.

Now that she was closer he saw tears streaming down her face. _What the hell_? Whether he hated her or not, he didn't like to see any girl cry. He opened the window a crack and tried to listen in but they weren't close enough. Dez was consoling her by talking while she just nodded her head in response, her tears still flowing as she batted them away but agreeing with whatever it was he was saying. After nearly ten whole minutes it looked like he'd sufficiently calmed her down. But something got her started up again and she was crying worse than before. She buried her face in her hands, sat down in the grass and sobbed so hard her shoulders shook. Dez threw his hands up in the air towards Trent and Elliot as they watched too, as if telling them he tried and didn't know what else to do. He saw Elliot point a finger towards the building and Dez nodded in response. Dez crouched down and touched each of her shoulders lightly, getting her to stand up and walk towards the door.

Whatever it was, it must be bad. That didn't mean he would ease up on her though. If it were a family emergency then that was fine but anything else wouldn't warrant backing off from her.

He heard the sound of the front door open and sniffling as feet padded up the stairs towards him. He stood back, just inside the door to his office, arms crossed and waited for Dez to bring her to him to discuss whatever had happened. When they came into view however, Dez steered her to the right and down the female side of the sleeping quarters. Stepping into the hallway, he watched in confusion at their retreating forms, Ally still had her hands up covering her face. Why wasn't she coming to his office? Was it someth... hold up.

Right before she entered her room, her arms dropped to her sides along with something that made a tiny noise as it hit the floor. Dez stood in her doorway and said something to her then slowly bent down to retrieve the item and headed straight for Austin.

"What's going on?" Irritation laced his voice as Dez walked towards him, motioning for him to come inside the office.

"Let's go in here then I'll tell you." He waited until Austin closed the door. "Guess that old saying blood is thicker than water doesn't always ring true." Austin eyed him questioningly so he held up what Ally had dropped. "Seems her boyfriend back home has been getting it on with some cousin of hers named Margo."

"Ya don't say." Austin took the necklace her boyfriend had given her and noticed she must have yanked it off her neck because the clasp was broken. _Very interesting indeed_. His lips curled into an evil grin. "Guess I better go chat with her a bit, give her a pep talk." He shoved the necklace inside his pants' pocket.

"Aus. Dude. Give her a few minutes. I told her she could stay in her room until phone time was through." Austin must really have it out for her to want to give her a hard time right after she'd just had her heart torn out. Austin gave him a 'so what' sneer. "Look. You know what it feels like to get cheated on. All I'm saying is give her a few minutes."

"Exactly why I`m going too. Be back in a sec." With a bounce in his step and a smile on his face he headed towards her room. He really shouldn't be glad at this pleasa... ahem, sorry turn of events in her life... but he was.

He stood in her doorway; glaring at her while she sat with her knees curled up against her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around them. Just when she managed to get her tears to cease, _he's here to rub it in_. She knew Sergeant McCarthy had told him, all the Drill Sergeants knew what was going on with any one of the recruits at all times. For several long seconds he didn't speak and she kept her gaze anywhere but on him, refusing to shed any tears in front of the evil man.

Austin peered into her trash bin to find the picture of her boyfriend shredded and he chuckled. _Right where you belong_. She was singl...free now. He knew immediately what he wanted to do to help her get over it, oh yes, keeping her best interest at heart of course. _Tomorrow, little girl_. As a plan formed itself in his head, he found his voice.

"Suck it up soldier and look at this for the blessing it is." He expected her to look at him but she remained stone-still. "You don't have anything to distract you from your training now." He didn't like seeing her tear-stained face, but there wasn't anything he could do about making it go away until tomorrow. Yup, he'd have her feeling **much** better about herself once he was through with her. He pulled out her necklace and held it over the wastebasket. "Say good bye to Peaches." He dropped it in and turned on his heel, feeling quite smug with himself.

**oOo oOo oOo**

_-Monday of week 5_-

They crowded around one of the four giant circles of sand at the training grounds next the obstacle course as Dez shouted loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Listen up, privates. I'm going to give you a block of instruction on today's hand to hand combat training. This," he held up a five foot long pole with, what looked like, cylindrical pillows on either end. "Is called a pugil stick. That," he pointed at the ground towards a pile of helmets that resembled something a hockey player would wear. "Is the protective gear you need to wear. Sergeant Finn and I will demonstrate offensive and defensive maneuvers using the pugil. You will watch. You will learn. Everyone will then pair off and spar with a fellow soldier. Sergeant Finn?" He held the pugil out to Elliot who already had his helmet on.

Ally tried to pay attention as the pair moved through different stances in slow motion, simulating defensive blocks, offensive parries and thrusts to different parts of the body in order to debilitate an enemy. It was of no use though; her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the betrayal she'd suffered through after phoning Gavin. She cried through the night even though Trish did her best to console her. They'd been going together for nearly four years now. Four years and all it took was her being gone four weeks and her slut of a cousin sank her claws into him.

Trish leaned in to whisper in Ally's ear. "This is just like watching American Gladiator." She heard Ally snort. "With those giant Q-tip looking thingies?" She was trying to help get her friend's mind off her break up.

"Ssshhh, I don't want to get in trouble for talking." She quickly glanced around for any sight of Austin. There he was, going about the other sand circles unloading equipment at each of them for today's training exercise. She watched as he bent over to pick something up but the second her eyes traveled to his bottom, Trish elbowed her. "Huh?"

"They're almost finished." Trish saw where Ally's attention had drifted to. Oh, she didn't know it was on Austin's backside, but she didn't want her friend to get caught staring off in the distance when she was supposed to be watching the other two Drill Sergeants.

"... all of it. Pair off and go to the circles. We'll be watching and helping." Sergeant Finn bellowed. "I want to see some real fighting here. You can't hurt each other with the pugil so feel free to whack the snot out of your battle buddy."

"Come on, let's go first," Trish smiled excitedly and dragged Ally to the circle farthest away from Austin. He never picked on **her** too much, but his cruelty towards Ally, especially the things he'd said to her last night had her hating him just as much as Ally did.

As the minutes wore on, everyone rotated, taking turns, trying their best to get the better of their opponent. Ally found it surprisingly fun, but Sergeant Finn had most definitely lied. It did hurt when you were hit hard enough with the funny looking sticks. There were Drill Sergeants at each circle, periodically stepping in to correct where the recruits were doing things wrong, some even went into the circle and sparred with them.

Ally felt her mood lift somewhat, especially when Sergeant Green stepped in to spar with her. He said she 'hit like a girl' so when she **was** finally able to get in a decent shot to his torso, everyone laughed when he whined, 'owwww' at the top of his lungs.

Austin looked in Ally's direction every now and then, watching, waiting for just the right moment. When the crowd of soldiers laughed as she got the best of Green he knew it was time. He quickly strode over to where they stood, watching as Ally handed off her equipment to the next soldier. He had almost reached her when she suddenly turned around and ran smack into his chest, sending her sprawling on her ass four feet in front of him.

"Oooomph." It felt like she'd run into a brick wall. Looking up to see what she ran into, she was met with those all too familiar pair of begrudging brown eyes and a single eyebrow raised at her in amusement.

"Fallin' for me, eh, Dawson?"

_You wish_. Damn, his chest was like solid steel. She quickly stood up, shook her head 'no' with downcast eyes and went to walk away.

"Not so fast." Holding his hand out to Chuck, he snapped his fingers to give up the pugil the guy still held. "Your attack is weak, Dawson."

"Yes, Sergeant." She wasn't sure where he was going with this, but it couldn't be good. _Oh, SHIT_! The second he held the pugil out to her, she knew she'd be hurting worse than her ass was right now after he was through with her. He stood at the center of the circle with his legs spread in a wide stance, curling his index finger in a clear invitation for her to join him.

The recruits surrounding them 'ooooo'd' like she was in troooooubllllle. It was no secret to anyone Sergeant Moon loved to torture her. She turned to take her helmet back but he stopped her. Even Dez began looking a little nervous for Ally's sake but he remained silent.

"Eh, eh, eh. I'm not wearing one and neither will you." He glanced at Dez who had a worried look on his face. He winked at him as if to say, 'don't worry, I'm not going to hurt her... much'.

_If there's a God out there somewhere, help? Please_? She stepped into the circle as he took off his BDU top. His thin brown Army T-shirt was stretched tight on his upper body almost like it'd been shrunk in the wash. She didn't need to know what was underneath his shirt in order to see how strong he was. The clearly defined muscles of his chest were evident through the thin cotton material. He tucked his dog tags in his shirt and barked at her to follow his example.

Her hands began trembling as she removed her top and stepped up to him, mimicking his stance. Again the crowd 'ooooo'd' as they faced off and she seriously wondered if he was using this as opportunity to actually beat on her.

"Shut your mouths and pay attention!" He began twirling the stick around like a baton, hand over hand to the left and right of his body. He knew she was intimidated and though it fed his ego, it wasn't why he was doing this. He was employing his plan on her, he would see to helping her get over her boyfriend once and for all. After he was finished with her, she would never waste another precious second of her time thinking about the bastard. "We're gonna keep doin' this `til you get it right, Dawson. I don't care if it takes five minutes or five hours. You're not leaving this circle `til `m sure you can defend yourself properly."

True to his word, they'd been going at it for nearly fifteen minutes and he wouldn't let up on her. He gave her a few good jabs here and there, but every time she lunged, he easily avoided being hit. He wasn't the least bit tired, but he was getting tired of her uncoordinated swings and staggering.

"Come on, Dawson! What's it gonna take for you to land me a good one, huh?" He swayed side to side, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "What's really stopping you?" He curled his tongue behind his teeth and goaded her. "I know you wanna hit me, so why can' you?"

"I'm trying, Sergeant." What she wouldn't give to be able to get that one clear shot!

He stopped swaying and stood up straight, looking bored. "No, you're not trying. That's the problem. You lack motivation. BUT..." He hesitated. "Since I am your Drill Sergeant, it`s my job to get you motivated."

_Huh_!? What the hell does that mean?

"Why not pretend that `m... Gavinnnnn," he sang.

Jace stepped forward, determined to intervene but Dez held his hand up to stop him. "Just watch, he knows what he's doing." Jace looked at him as if he were crazy. Dez smirked. "He's channeling her anger, making her use it to get better. Trust me."

"Alright, man." Jace shook his head and watched as his friend and colleague continued taunting the poor girl.

"Come on. Wouldn't you just love to take him out right now for boning your cousin?"

"Hell, yeah!" She spoke without thinking and lunged for him. Even though he was standing perfectly still he moved to the side to effortlessly avoid her sudden thrust. "Oh, ah, I'm... I apologize, Ser..."

"That's it. Don't apologize. Let it out, Dawson. I'll tell you what," he set one end of his pugil on the ground and leaned a forearm on it. "I'm gonna make it easy on you. Here," he waved his free hand about. "In this circle. Fuck the rules."

"Sergeant?" By all rights she should be doing pushups or **something** for having talked back. She wasn't sure what she was more worried about, the fact he **hadn't** dropped her or this new proposal he came up with.

"You heard me. No rules. You don't have to call me Sergeant while we're in this circle. Matter of fact... I`m gonna allow you to say whatever you want to me and I won't punish you for it."

She relaxed from her defensive stance and looked him dead in the eye while raising one eyebrow. "Really?" _This might actually be fun_.

"Really." She didn't get another word out before his stick was back in both hands, giving her a sharp jab to the ribs.

"Arghhh." She wanted to clutch her side but as she saw him readying to swing at her neck, her reflexes kicked in and blocked his attack.

"Good. Very good. Now attack me." He flung his arms wide, leaving himself open to her.

"You asked for it." She aimed low at his waist but he blocked her by swinging the pugil around from the opposite side to protect his left flank.

Five minutes into this 'game with no rules' and everyone, recruits and Drill Sergeants alike circled in close to watch as the pair went at it. Ally seemed to be fairing better now, able to block at least half of Austin's offensive moves but she still had yet to land herself a hit.

"Come on, princess, let it out." He ducked when she swung at his head and sneered at her. "I'm your Gavin right now and I just fucked your cousin silly while you're here... whoa." She nearly did get his head that time. "That's my girl, come on."

"Fuck you." She came in with a vengeance, trying two successive strikes to each side of his waist, but with no success.

"Now you're talkin'. Cuss, scream, whatever it takes. LET IT OUT." He jabbed her ribs with a little more force this time, sending her staggering back to regain her balance.

She righted herself and glared at him. All the hate, all the pain, all the humiliation both this man and Gavin had inflicted on her welled up inside her core, wound itself through her heaving chest and broken heart into her head where it grew, trying to break free. As sure as a lit fuse sends a rocket flaring, her rage made her focus on her target. She took a split second to assess Austin's stance and unleashed her fury.

To the amazement of not only Austin but those around them, she faked him out. Thrusting the padded end towards his waist, she held back just enough of her forward momentum until he moved to block her... then struck. With all her strength, she swung at his face, landing a blow that made his head snap to the side. On gut instinct, when she saw he was stunned, she spun her body in a perfect three sixty and dropped down low to deliver a clean swipe behind his knees, sending his entire body up in the air to land with a loud thud to the ground.

"Fuck you." She spat on the ground beside him. "BITCH!" She dropped her stick and walked out of the circle not bothering to look back. Everyone around her roared and cheered. Even the Drill Sergeants came up behind her and slapped her on the back hard.

"Way to get some, Dawson. HOO-AH!" Dez cheered. Hey, Austin had it coming. He asked for it... he got it.

As Austin stared at the sky from the flat of his back where he lay, he felt a trickle of blood leave his nose to roll down the side of his face. _Mission accomplished_, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do to her about it either. He knew he got his ass served to him and though he was seething inside at being beat by the tiny brunette, he never went back on his word. She was free and clear of everything she'd done within that small circle of sand.

**TBC**

**Well, there's chapter two. The character progression will become more prominent in upcoming chapters. Like I said, this story isn't really about the Army, however it serves as a backdrop for you to get to know these characters as they are slightly different from the ones we know and love from the show. So let me know, again, what you think. It truly makes my day and keeps me motivated! :) Love you guys!**

**FAV/FOLLOW for email updates on this story!**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own, nor do I profit from, the Disney Channel program 'Austin & Ally' or the characters therein. They are simply used in the following story for my own entertainment. Original story 'In The Army Now' written for the Buffy fandom by Im_bloody_english. This work belongs to her and I take no credit for the story line. Names and locations have been changed to suit the Austin & Ally fandom. No copyright infringement intended.

**So I tried really hard to hold out until Sunday night to post this because I figured posting every Sunday would be nice and consistent… but then my Friday night plans fell through and I decided to scroll through my email and you guys have given me EIGHTY FIVE REVIEWS. EIGHTY FIVE on only TWO chapters! THAT IS OUTSTANDING! For a story I thought would be too far-fetched for this fandom, you guys have really embraced it, and I can't thank you enough. Enjoy chapter three! *kisses***

**oOo oOo oOo**

**CHAPTER THREE**

_-Wednesday week 6-_

Austin followed his soldiers up the stairs, having just come in from their morning run. At the front of the crowd, he caught sight of Ally's chestnut hair as she reached the landing and had to suppress a small smile. Despite getting beat at his own game, his plan had worked perfectly. She became more determined, more focused, put all her energy into training and gave it everything she had. Hell, she even impressed him during a couple of their regular sessions in the 'house of pain' by succeeding in some of the more daunting physical tasks he'd set for her. Oh, he'd kept his word about not punishing her over what had happened inside the circle, but the daily torture sessions still continued. His mind wandered back to that day, when he lay defeated in the sand.

His co-workers teased him unmercifully over the incident... for about ten minutes until he snapped at them. He was **more** than a bit shocked she'd slugged him hard enough to cause a nose bleed, then, when he landed on his back from her second surprising strike, she reminded him just how much that could hurt, too. Later, as he sat in his office with a bag of ice pressed to his face, he had to admit... he was proud of her.

Ally took her time getting her shower supplies together. She'd learned to give everyone else a chance to rush in first so by the time she got there, there was a shower head free for her. The number of females had now dwindled down to five. There were a good number of soldiers that over the weeks had dropped out of Basic one by one from various injuries and had to be recycled. There was no way that was going to happen to her. No way could she take coming back and doing everything all over again, especially if it meant winding back here and under Austin's thumb. She shivered at the thought and walked out of her room, shower caddy in hand.

"I gotta run to my car and grab something. Be right back."

Ally heard Dez's voice coming from Austin's office. As she neared it, Dez came out and greeted her.

"Hey, hey," he smiled brightly. "What's up, 'First Blood'?"

She giggled at his new nickname for her. Shortly after knocking Austin on his ass, several of the Drill Sergeants argued over what to call her... 'Stands with a Pugil', 'Ally the Drill Sergeant Slayer' or 'First Blood'. Dez won after reasoning that since she was the first to draw blood in the battle against blondie, she earned it.

He threw her a few pretend punches, making her giggle some more. "Not much, Sergeant."

"Good run this morning. You're gonna ace the final PT test, right?"

"Count on it, Sergeant."

He was such a goof ball. He saluted her and did an 'about face' to head down the stairs. She was grateful he was nothing more than a big softie underneath that horrid DS hat he wore. How he and Austin were best friends she'd never figure out. Austin acted like a bad-ass from day one, all with the 'grhh, arghh', while Dez's true personality came out during week four, playful and smiling all the time.

She stood there a moment longer and sighed, praying Austin wouldn't stop her on her way to the shower when she passed his office. _Maybe he's closed the door already_, she thought as her legs carried her forward.

Throwing his sweaty T-shirt onto the desk, Austin rifled through his duffle bag for a clean one. He overheard the friendly exchange between Dez and Ally but ignored it. Right now he wanted a shower more than anything so he could face the long day ahead of him. Besides, there would be plenty of time to mess with her during breaks between the drills he had planned for everyone. As he pulled out his shaving cream, his razor dropped to the floor. Bending over to retrieve it, he suddenly had the strange sensation that he wasn't alone, the feeling that someone was watching him.

She shouldn't be staring but her feet wouldn't move; they were rooted to the spot. Just as Ally went to pass by Austin's office, she got an eyeful of tanned flesh. He had his shirt off with his back to her and she watched transfixed as strongly defined muscles rippled beneath his skin every time he flexed or moved. _WHOA_! Her eyes had their own ideas of where they wanted to travel as she fought to turn away from the breathtaking view of the half-naked man in front of her. His shoulders were perfectly sculpted with tightly corded muscles twisting down like fingers, stopping just above the bulging horseshoe shape of his triceps. Her gaze drifted slowly south, along the tapered 'V' of his torso to settle on his trim waist. She knew he was, well, fit, but there wasn't an ounce of fat to be found anywhere on his body. He dropped something on the floor and bent over to pick it up, causing her to gasp. Her head tilted to side as if studying the work of art that was his ass beneath the thin material of his shorts. _OH! Oh my_! A noteworthy flaw in the fabric of Army shorts was that they **always** revealed underwear lines. Not this time... looks like he really **was** a 'commando' kind of soldier. Her body impulsively leaned to the side as if trying to peer around him, curious as to what she'd see in the front of his..._Stop that! Bad Ally! There will be __**no**__ lusty thoughts about your evil, mean... cruel and, and despicable... loathsome... yet __**seriously**__ sexy Drill Sergeant_. Her head stayed **right** where it was, frozen with curiosity.

He stood up and slowly turned around, half expecting to find nothing at all behind him. What **was** there took him by surprise. Ally was gaping at him, mouth wide open; eyes slightly glazed and unfocused as if unaware he now faced her. Sh-she was, no. She **is**..._ she's checking me out_! He could scarcely believe it. Here he thought **he** was a pervert for having thoughts about **her** naked while she stood there undressing him with her large russet eyes, making him feel like he **was** naked.

_God bless America, but those sit-ups sure do pay off_. He looked like a Calvin Kline underwear model with those lean abs, each muscle protruding slightly to form a perfect six pack. And oh my, he had one of those really nice navels with a trail of soft hair leading beneath his shorts and sharp hips that stuck out above the garment that hung low on his waist. _Sweet Jesus_, muscled love handles that tapered in towards each other with skin that looked so smooth and soft to the touch. Her eyes rose to drink in his chest with its thin line of demarcation, accentuating his developed pectorals that broadened outward, leading back to those nice shoulders and, _OH-MY-GOD_! Yup, he was looking right at her while she stood mute, staring like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights.

He could see she was just as flabbergasted at being discovered as he was to find her ogling him. Instead of being embarrassed however, he felt a surge of male pride at her obvious appreciation for his body and smirked at her. "See somethin' you like, Dawson?" Her jaw shut with an audible click and she stood ramrod straight, turning a stunning shade of red.

She couldn't speak but at least her feet were working again as she turned and ran for the bathroom. Before she could go through the door, Carrie came out of her room.

"Ally, he- what's wrong?" She looked like she'd just got through being 'smoked' by performing a million pushups.

"HUH? Oh, n-nothing. It's nothing."

She nodded in understanding.

"Lemme guess, Sergeant Moon?" He must have caught her before she hit the showers again. Carrie felt awful that the bastard just wouldn't give her an inch. "Yeah, he's really got a hard-on for ya."

"WHAT!?" Her eyes went huge. "NO. NO hard-on's here. There are NO hard-on's to be had here... anywhere." Her hand sliced through the air decisively.

"Whoa," she took a step back. "Geez, Al. What's gotten into you?" What in the hell?

_Certainly not Austin, aaaaaand I really just thought that, didn't I_? "Nothing. Not a thing. I-have-to-go-shower. Bye." She turned her back on her quirky blonde friend and slipped through the bathroom door.

Little did she know Austin did have a hard on for her. Right now in his office. Naturally he blamed it on the situation he'd found himself in a few moments ago. It wasn't his fault, nope. He hadn't had a single, sexual related Ally thought today until he caught her assessing everything **but** his naughty parts. _Arghhh_, he shouldn't have said what he did but it was too late now and _the girl caught me off guard_. He reacted like any normal, red-blooded, instinctual, prideful male would. Somewhere in the back of his mind he swore he heard a tiny voice say, 'Right. Keep telling yourself that'. Yeah, it was gonna be a long day.

**oOo oOo oOo**

_-Thursday, week 6, late afternoon-_

Austin hadn't allowed himself more than one day off during these six weeks and most nights were spent several hours well past his shift. Dez saw the stress from this starting to take it's toll on his best friend and after a long talk, convinced Austin to take the entire upcoming weekend off that he was already scheduled for. Austin didn't want to at first, but finally conceded as long as someone watched his female soldiers and Trent at all times. His one specific order to Dez... that Ally was **never** be left alone for **any** length of time with Trent or he would hold him personally responsible.

Tomorrow, however, he was pulling a double shift because Jackson was now on nights and none of the other Drills he had watching the scum-bag would be working. Trent hadn't tried anything yet but that was because **he** saw to it that the weasel never had an opportunity. Once Monday rolled around, he could breathe easier because it was his turn to start working nights again where he could watch Trent's every move.

The soldiers were herded outside with their rifles and bayonets for more practice on their invisible enemies in single, hand to hand combat. In an empty parking lot, the soldiers formed in long rows, well away from each other while Austin stood at the front, barking out which moves he wanted them to perform. Trent had arrived about ten minutes ago and relieved Chuck, who stood to one side of the large formation in order to assist those individuals who were still not performing the moves correctly. Austin noted, with great irritation, that Ally just happened to be on the outermost end of a row nearest Trent.

Dez pulled his car alongside the road next to the parking lot and honked his horn. "Austin!" He waved a hand to him to deliver a message. "You have a phone call back at the barracks, your Branch Manager is on the phone. Something about your new assignment."

"Right then. I know you need to leave early today, but could you take over for me `til I get back?" He nodded his head in Trent's direction.

"No problem." Truthfully, Dez was getting tired of this babysitting business. He understood the reason and need, but they were in the middle of a training exercise. It wasn't like Trent could pull a fast one out in the open for everyone to see. He was seriously starting to wonder if his earlier suspicions might be correct; that Austin just might have a secret 'thing' for Private Dawson. Nah, couldn't be. He took his job too seriously and would never entertain such a notion, even though said soldier **was** a cutie.

Kira continued barking commands in Austin's absence and Dez took the rear position she'd previously occupied. A recruit to his left started fiddling with her bayonet, trying to get it reattached so he went over to assist her.

"Dawson." Trent walked up to her. "When you thrust forward for a stab, your stance is leaving you vulnerable. You're leaving yourself open if you don't spread your legs wide enough and bend at the knees to ground yourself from being knocked off balance. Do it again for me."

"Yes, Sergeant." She held her rifle at the ready and lunged one foot forward at the same time she stabbed the air directly in front of her.

"Okay, hold it right there, don't move." He walked up behind her. Placing his hands at her waist, he mimicked her stance, placing his body close to hers. "Follow my right foot." His foot inched forward.

She did as instructed and held still. His left hand moved to the front of her thigh and pushed it back.

"Now bend your knees a bit more." He moved his hand back to her waist. "That's it, good. Do you feel the difference? Your left leg needs to be firmly planted so if the enemy tries to knock your rifle left or right, your body won't fall to the side, leaving you vulnerable. Okay, let's try this again and this time, I'll lunge with you." He pulled her waist to stand up straight. Over and over he cued her, lunging with her then drawing her body up against his every time to try again.

Yes, that did make sense, and she tried to concentrate on her moves, but she felt a bit funny about being this close to a DS, almost like he shouldn't really have his hands on her. She quickly dismissed the thought, Sergeant Jackson was one of the nicer Drills and he was merely helping her.

Austin was in a seriously good mood after taking his call. His Branch Manager upped his date to move to the East coast by nearly three weeks. He wanted nothing more than to get out of this place and get back to doing the real job he'd been trained for. As he rounded the corner of the barracks however, his mood was instantly shattered.

Taking in the sight of Trent with his hands on Ally, his body flush with hers made him see red. He couldn't cause a show in front of the other soldiers, but he was certainly going to break the two apart then break Dez's neck for not having intervened.

"Sergeant Jackson!" He kept his tone even but his cheeks were flush with anger. "Take up Dez's position and tell him to see me."

Trent let go of her slowly and nodded his head in compliance, but not before turning to Ally to let her know. "Keep practicing, your moves are looking nice."

Austin balled his fists up and struggled against the urge to tear his head off his shoulders. If they were anywhere else he'd be a dead man. No one laid a hand on his females like that, especially Ally. He watched Trent walk away then searched for Dez. There he was, helping a female with her weapon with his back turned as he worked her rifle.

"Dawson!" Austin turned his attention on her, finding her in the middle of executing another move.

"Yes, Sergeant?" She stood and turned towards him.

"Beat your face." He knew he shouldn't be punishing her over this incident but he was angry.

"Yes, Sergeant." _What the hell did I do now_? Did it matter? He never seemed to **need** a reason to make her miserable; all she had to do was be in his presence. She tried to push the memory of being caught staring at him from her mind. Maybe that was it; he was punishing her for yesterday. Assuming the position, she began performing pushups, knowing she couldn't stop until he said so.

It was entirely his fault; he should have had the door closed in the first place, _jerk_. And then his question, if she saw anything she liked. No way had she expected that. So what if his body was nice, okay fine, smoking hot? That question told her right away just how conceited he really was. Acting like he was God's gift. Yeah, like she would ever want to have sex with him. An image suddenly popped into her head of their bodies intertwined on a soft bed... she shook the thought away, horrified her brain even went there. _**That's**__ never going to happen, never_.

**oOo oOo oOo**

_-Friday, week 6_-

The mail had been handed out and everyone busied themselves in the common room with reading their letters. Austin and Dez sat in their chairs near the doorway, chatting away until it was time to go to chow.

"Hi, guys."

"Hey, honey. Is it time already?" Dez asked his wife, Kate, as she peeked her head through the doorway.

"Yes, dear."

"How are you?" Austin smiled brightly at her.

"Hi, Aus. Just picking Desmond up for the twins' birthday party tonight. You're still coming over tomorrow for dinner right?"

"Of course. Where are my godchildren?"

Ally finished reading a letter from her mother when she heard the sound of children laughing. Looking up, she couldn't believe what she was seeing... Austin was smiling, as in, for the **first** time ever.

"Uncle Austin!" Dez's twins bound past their mother and ran to him.

"There you are, come here." He held his arms out wide and they scrambled up onto his lap, one on each knee while he held them around the waist. He placed a kiss to each of their foreheads and squeezed them tight. "Where's MY kiss?"

Buffy watched, dumbfounded. This man didn't show emotions, he wasn't supposed to **have** any feelings at all. He was mean, cruel, evil personified and he damn sure never smiled. Yet there he was, showering the little boy and girl perched on his lap with affection.

The children kissed each side of his cheek simultaneously.

"Why can't you come to our party, Uncle Austin?" The little girl whined.

"Uncle Sam says I have to work, Lilly." He gave her a sad look and pouted his bottom lip out at her.

"Not fair." The boy crossed his arms together. "I don't like Uncle Sam, he's – he's a fluffer."

Lilly corrected her brother. "Tha's not how you say it, Logan. It's fuck-"

"WHOA, okay… Austin Monica Moon, WHAT have you been teaching my children?" Kate swatted at Austin's head as she covered her little girls mouth and he ducked, giggling.

"That means you're in trouble when she says your name like that." Logan piped up.

"Sorry. Must have slipped out." He looked at her guiltily.

Kate crossed her arms, shaking her head while Dez and a few of the soldiers began laughing. It seemed everyone was now watching the little exchange.

"It smiles?" Trish asked All in a hushed tone. Ally just shrugged her shoulders, rolling her eyes like she could care less.

Honestly, she couldn't take her eyes off him. She could admit he was handsome, but when he smiled, he was absolutely gorgeous. His eyes shined brightly and it was obvious he cared deeply for Sergeant McCarthy's kids. They were beautiful as they sat there, talking away with their 'Uncle Austin'. He removed his dog tags and placed it around the little girl's neck for her to play with. It was obvious how good he was with these children, like a natural and she couldn't help but wonder why he didn't have any of his own. He didn't wear a wedding band so it was obvious he wasn't married and she didn't think he had a girlfriend. He was **always** here, well, except for one day _and why would I care anyways if he has a girlfriend or not_?

"Will you watch Pooh with us tomorrow? Pleeease, Uncle Austin?" Logan asked with hopeful blue eyes.

"You bet, soldier. Now run along and save me a piece of cake." He gave them each a kiss and slid them gently to the ground.

The moment Dez and his family left, his face resumed the cold demeanor Ally was more accustomed to. It was really too bad. During that rare moment, when he was smiling, she swore she caught a glimpse of a different man; one much different, much softer than the cruel, unrelenting bastard that she'd dealt with since week one.

**oOo oOo oOo**

_-Week 6, Saturday morning, 2:30 AM-_

_Oh God, __**why**__ does it have to be him_? She must have done something really awful in a previous life to have to go through the humiliation of asking for what she needed from Sergeant Moon.

His feet were propped on the desk, his chair leaning dangerously back on two legs as he flipped through the 'ARMY Times', whistling 'America the Beautiful'.

"What the hell do you want, Dawson?"

She jumped out of her skin the moment he spoke. The man's hearing had to be exceptional, like a vampire's, because she swore she hadn't made a sound.

"I know it's you. Heard your socks on the floor and I can SMELL you." The delicate aroma of freshly clean skin mixed with a hint of vanilla marked her scent as uniquely hers.

Okaaaaaaaaay, apparently the nose of vampire as well.

"Sergeant, I..."

"Walk your ass around my desk and stand at parade rest then explain to me WHY you chose to ruin my good mood by coming here." Hearing her footsteps follow his command, he dropped his paper on his lap.

"I have a problem, Sergeant." Where to begin explaining what she needed was going to prove very embarrassing.

"I'll say," he chided. "Come on now... enlighten me."

"I need some protection. Of-of the... feminine type."

Upon hearing this he raised an eyebrow at her in surprise.

"And this problem can' wait till mornin'?" The look of shock on her face told him how stupid the question actually was. "Did you even THINK to ask any of the other females if they had anything?"

"Yes, Sergeant I did and no, they don't." She held her breath as he looked about ready to explode.

_Figures_. He found it unbelievable that out of four other females, **none** had anything to offer her. He really began wondering if she wasn't here just to annoy him with her presence. Fuming from that thought he sat there staring her down for a few seconds, gathering what little patience he had left before addressing her. Right before he was going to give her a verbal lashing, he noticed her eyes gloss over. _Oh fuck_! The girl was about to cry which told him she wasn't lying about anything. She really was standing here before him because she needed help and he felt like an ass. He may not like her, but seeing her on the brink of tears like this made him feel guilty.

Unable to handle any of the crude statements she was sure were coming her way, she blinked back the tears that threatened to spill. How much more could she take? How much more could this cruel bastard dish out? It wasn't her fault her period came when it did, it was merely a cruel twist of fate that it happened at this hour and while he was on duty. She really wished it had been Sergeant McCarthy or Jacen or **anyone** else **but** him.

He ran his hand over his face and sighed heavily. There were no stores on post open at this time. If she needed something, then that meant he would have to go to the nearest gas station and buy it himself. Since there was no way he'd be caught dead buying tampons, even at **this** un-godly hour when there wasn't anyone else likely to be about shopping, that meant he would have to take her himself... in his car.

"Go get your sneakers on then come back." Why couldn't Kira have been on duty tonight so she could take care of this female issue? _My awful luck._

_Huh_?! She couldn't question him so she left to do as she was told, completely confused not only by his order, but the fact this was the first thing he'd ever said to her in a tone that wasn't dripping with malice.

He picked up the phone and reached Trent downstairs, asking that he keep an ear out for the next fifteen or twenty minutes. When he questioned Austin, Trent laughed into the receiver then asked if Austin wanted to stay and **he** could take 'Private Dawson'.

Jealousy flared in Austin at the suggestion and he quickly told Trent 'no', that she was his soldier and therefore his responsibility. He'd barely hung up the phone when she came walking back into the office.

"Let's go." He stood, grabbed his keys, hat and walked past her into the hallway. He didn't bother looking at her as she followed him down the stairs and out the building to his car, feeling a bit of anger towards the guilt he felt in the first place. Without a thought as to what he was doing, he unlocked the passenger door to his beloved black Charger and opened it for her like a gentleman. The shocked look on her face said she didn't understand exactly what was going on.

"Get in. I'm takin' you to the 'Stop-n-Go' so you can buy some tamp... ahem, feminine products."

She nodded and got into his car, still shocked from his more than gentle tone of voice but even more so that he opened the door for her and didn't slam it shut the second she was inside.

The ride was made in silence which Austin was grateful for. He fought the urge to say he was sorry for nearly making her cry and instead, decided being civil to her would suffice as an apology. He looked at her several times during the ten minute ride. Her hands were folded in her lap and her head turned away from him to stare out the window. The natural male instinct to look at her body had his eyes roaming over her breasts and legs. She'd gained some weight, not much, but her curves had filled out and it looked good on her small frame, **damn** good, **too** good as his manhood responded to the instinctive thought of her naked. Shaking his head, he scolded himself. _Keep your eyes on the road_.

Despite plenty of opportunities, he hadn't slept with another woman since his divorce ten months ago from Piper. Internet porn and his hand was a better alternative than to risk having a woman think he may have slept with her for any other reason than to just fuck. He glanced at Ally again, she was beautiful, drop dead gorgeous in his opinion, but she was also his soldier and to entertain the idea of sleeping with her was a forbidden zone that could cost him his career... and no woman was worth that. She shifted suddenly, crossing the leg closest to him over the other, making her shorts ride up to expose more of her smooth skin.

He groaned internally and squirmed in his seat, trying to readjust his growing erection without touching it in front of her. _`I'm a man for Christ's sake. It's only natural_, he tried to convince himself. _`I'm not attracted to __**her**__, it`s just a hormonal response to being near a good looking woman_. Yeah, right! Who was he kidding? It dawned on him that he hadn't even **had** a woman in his car since Piper. And the close proximity to the Floridian beauty two feet from him made the front seat suddenly seem a whole lot smaller. Pulling into the parking lot of the brightly lit convenient store, he handed her a twenty dollar bill.

"Make it quick."

She nodded, took his money then stepped out of the car. When his attention impulsively went to her ass as she walked towards the door, he knew his erection was not going to go away, _Damnit_! Yup, she had definitely gained some weight, and right where it counted. Gone was the pathetically starved bony ass he'd first seen upon her arrival. In its place were soft curvy hips and two very healthy looking, perfect sized cheeks... just right for holding in each of his hands while she bounced up and down on his cock.

_**Slap**_. On purpose, he used the open palm of his right hand and struck his cheek hard, trying to get that image out of his head. _**Slap, slap... SLAP**_! Apparently it was going to take more than one. He couldn't be angry with **her** for being born that beautiful, but he could be angry with himself for entertaining thoughts that were **never** going to happen. How the hell was he expected to get through the rest of his shift tonight? The sudden thought of taking Kira up on her offer would have indeed been tempting right now if it weren't for the fact she'd slept with more than half the cadre. _I'm so fucked_!

She came back out, holding her sack of purchased goods in one hand and his change in the other. This was the first time he noticed she wasn't wearing a bra. The chilly autumn wind blew against her, forcing her T-shirt to mold to her chest like a second skin. The outline of where her bra **should** have been visible was non-existent and her nipples were clearly pebbled. _Yeah, __**more**__ than fucked_. And again without thinking, he reached across the seat and opened the passenger door for her to get back in.

Shutting the door, she turned towards him and held out his change. The moment their hands brushed together for the exchange he froze. She was looking directly at him, had captured him by the luminous golden brown beauty of her eyes. Any other time she would have dared to do that, he would have her rolling in the mud. Not this time however, what he saw was gratitude when she nodded nervously.

"You're welcome." She nodded again then quickly turned away, busying herself with the seatbelt.

She had no idea what brought about this brief change in his behavior towards her, but she kept her mouth shut in hopes it would last. She wasn't going to question it, she was just grateful he'd been decent about it. He was probably just as embarrassed about having to take her here as she was in having to approach him with her dilemma.

When they were back inside the barracks, he told her to 'go take care' of herself then return directly back to her bunk.

"Dawson." He barked, catching her before she could walk away.

"Yes, Sergeant?" _Oh no, here we go_. She knew this was too good to last, that she wouldn't be able to escape some sarcastic cheap shot before going to bed. What she saw when she turned to face him though took her by surprise. He had an uneasy look on his face while glancing side to side, as if checking that no one else was around to hear what he was about to say. She waited patiently while he hooked both thumbs through his belt, clearing his throat while rocking back on his heels

"Don't, uhmm," he swallowed hard. "Don't tell anyone about this little... mission. For your, uhmm," he pointed a finger at her bag. "THINGS. Got it?"

"Understood, Sergeant." Realizing she was correct in her earlier musings, she wanted to burst out laughing. He **was** embarrassed about the nature of their trip and apparently the thought of anyone finding out about it was more than mortifying to his male ego.

"Right then." He waved her off. "Run away."

Once he knew she was back in her room, he closed the door to his office and locked it. Placing a box of tissue within reach, he proceeded to fuck the shit out of the beautiful young recruit behind closed eyes while abusing his aching cock with both hands.

Getting into his car to drive home, his nose instantly picked up on the faint aroma of vanilla... _All__y_. Her scent had lingered in his car. He closed his eyes and gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles were white. The image of her sitting next to him, in **his** very own car came back clearly as well as the vivid memory of his fantasy. How many more weeks until his transfer were left? How much longer did he have to put up with her image floating around inside his head like a beautiful pixie, all naked and effulgent? _Too many_. He thanked God he had the next two days off from work. Two whole blissful days that he wouldn't have to look at her. With an ample supply of fireball whiskey and some hardcore porn, he should be able to get her out of his mind. Yup, that was the plan.

**TBC**

**I mean, you know what to do to make me do my happy dance… ;)**

**FAV/FOLLOW for email updates on this story!**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own, nor do I profit from, the Disney Channel program 'Austin & Ally' or the characters therein. They are simply used in the following story for my own entertainment. Original story 'In The Army Now' written for the Buffy fandom by Im_bloody_english. This work belongs to her and I take no credit for the story line. Names and locations have been changed to suit the Austin & Ally fandom. No copyright infringement intended.

**:)**

**oOo oOo oOo**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

_-Monday of week 7-_

Austin had been quite successful over the weekend in ridding himself of any Ally related thoughts... so long as he stuck strictly to watching 'Asian' porn. In truth he loved **all** porn, but this was one of the few he could count on that wouldn't be starring any ombred, doe-eyed brunettes to remind him of his inappropriate desire for Ally. By the time Monday rolled around, he found himself rejuvenated and raring to go back to work, especially after scheming new ways in which to torture his favorite victim with.

He walked straight past the outdoor training that was taking place and into the quiet of his office. Settling behind the desk with a cup of coffee, he waited for everyone to come back inside. As soon as Dez showed up and they relieved both Jace and Elliot, the soldiers would be hitting the showers before heading to chow. There's nothing he liked better than to interrupt Ally in the middle of shower time, make her get dressed in under two minutes, then take her outside and roll her in the mud.

The second he thought about that, her body all naked, covered in bubbles as she lathered her breasts had his feet unconsciously carrying him towards the window to find her. Sipping his java, the steam curled around his nose as he narrowed his eyes to find his platoon. There they were. Jace had them in a circle doing sand bag drills. Six out of the twenty soldiers had extremely heavy burlap bags filled with sand they were to hand off to the soldier on their right. Starting with three individuals on each side of the circle, they would hand the sacks off as fast as they could until one person ended up with two, thereby forcing progressively more and more weight to make their arms stronger. It was the only purpose it served, to build muscle.

"What is he doing?" he asked himself out loud. Elliot walked away to go chat with Kira, leaving Jace to run the drill by himself. No sooner had he done that and Jace was happily blowing away at his whistle, making them reverse direction rapidly while talking and smiling away, telling them something that had everyone laughing like they were having a good time. They weren't **supposed** to have fun, they were **supposed** to be grunting, sweating from the effort, getting so tired that one of the females would inevitably be the first to drop a sandbag, forcing them to start all over again. Usually that female was Daws... wait a minute, where **was** Ally?

Taking a visual head count, he found there were only nineteen people present. His eyes quickly scanned the other two groups but she was nowhere to be seen. _Hmmm, maybe she got in trouble, earned herself a little corrective training_. There was another pleasant thought; that he would be adding to whatever punishment one of the other drills had already given her.

He turned around and walked back to his desk in time to see Dez walk into the office.

"What's the word, my brother from another mother? Did you relax this weekend, unloaded the tension from this place with a little fishing? Golf? Skeet shooting perhaps?"

Austin shook his head before taking another sip from his mug. Oh, he **unloaded** more than a little **something** this weekend, but the tension he felt was still present... sexual tension that is. Once he'd gotten his fill of making Ally suffer however, he'd be feeling **much** better.

"Didn't do much of anything really. Sat in front of the tv most of the time." He lied.

"Aside from watching Pooh twice in a row with Lilly, did you catch any good flicks?"

_Yup, let's see, there was 'Land of the Rising cum', 'Crouching Twat Hide my Dragon', 'Shanghaied at Noon' and of course, his personal favorite '69, How Two Can Chew'._

"Just catching up on 'Passions'." He watched Dez shake his head and smile. "What?"

"You and soap operas. Who woulda guessed?" He chuckled.

"Hey, it`s a good show."

"If you say so, man. Now a good show you should try watching is..."

The sudden sound of the doors swinging open and feet pounding up the stairs cut Dez off.

"Put on your game face."

Dez hadn't taken his hat off yet, but since it was resting on the back on his head, he used one finger to tip the brim level with his eyes, speaking in a low serious voice.

"You got it, boss."

They walked out into the hall to watch everyone file into the common room with Jace and Elliot right on their heels.

"Sergeant Jacen!"

Jace stopped abruptly and did an about-face. Strolling up to his superior he smiled brightly.

"Sergeant?"

"Would you care to tell me WHY I saw you out there making my soldiers laugh when they should be training?"

"We were training. I just thought it would be fun to change it up a bit, make it harder on them by switching directions every few seconds."

"I see." Making them work harder was fine, "But why were they laughing?"

"Oh, I was doing impressions. You know, of famous people?"

"Hmmph. We're not here to entertain. See that you stick to business from now on."

Austin walked away, leaving both Jace and Dez confused by his curt behavior. Sure, he was consistently terse with the soldiers, but the cadre? His friends? Never!

"What's eating him?" Jace questioned Dez, who shrugged in response.

"It's anyone's guess. He's probably just itching because he's gone two days without putting a hurting on Dawson."

"Speaking of, something happened today..."

Austin walked slowly past the common room, peering inside... no Ally. He stopped by the female lavatory and banged against the door but received no response. At the end of the hall, he fully expected to find her in the 'house of pain', but when he got there, the room lay empty. It wasn't like he was anxious to see her or anything, oh no, if she was still carrying out her punishment somewhere else, maybe with 2nd platoon downstairs that was just fine with him. He convinced himself he merely wanted all his soldiers accounted for before the other drills left for the day. What he overheard Jace telling Dez as he came back towards them hit him like a ton of bricks.

"How long has Dawson been in the ER?"

"About forty minutes now. Trent just called about ohhhhh," Jace glanced at his watch, "Five minutes ago. Apparently the doc wants to keep her there for a while to monitor her, just to make sure."

They both looked up to see one very pissed off Austin storming in their direction.

"Did I just hear you say Dawson is in the emergency room?" Jace nodded. "FINN," he screamed and turned in his direction when he heard footsteps from behind him. "You," he pointed at Elliot, "And you," turning back to point at Jace, "In my office... NOW!" He didn't need the recruits listening in when he opened the verbal can of whoop ass he was about to unleash on both NCO's. They may be his friends, but knowing they hadn't told him straight away that Ally was at the hospital had him fuming.

Dez muttered under his breath. "Uh-oh," then went to where the soldiers were and closed that door as well. He knew Austin's temper and judging from the look on his face, it was going to take two doors between him and everyone else to shut out the screaming. All four men went into the office, jumping when Austin slammed the door shut.

He tried to remain calm, he really did. "Explain."

"She was goi..." Finn started.

"Wait," he held up a hand. "First. Answer me this. Why in the FUCKING hell aren't one of YOU two with her right now?"

Jace stepped in to answer. "Jackson came to work early so Chuck could leave and was there when it happened. He felt responsible since it was his station where she had her accident so he took her himself... said he would stay with her."

The second Dez heard the name 'Jackson' spoken and saw Austin's jaw twitch, it didn't surprise him in the least when the blonde picked up a couple of random items off the desk to throw against the door in a fit of rage. He sat down and looked over at a shocked Finn and pitied him. Austin was surely going to rip him a new hole to breathe out of. The only 'innocent' here in the room was poor Jace, he was clueless about Trent.

"I don't care if he FEELS responsible. She isn't his responsibility, she's yours and yours," he pointed a finger at each of them in turn. "She's OUR soldier, NOT his. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED OUT THERE?"

Jace opened his mouth to speak but Austin cut him off again.

"NOT you... you. Explain." He pointed a finger at Elliot. "You had specific orders NEVER to leave him alone with a female soldier so unless you have a good reason, you're ass is mine."

"Aus," Elliot started. "I don't know what the big deal is; he just took her to the hospital. What happened was..."

"Don't bother." He stood and grabbed his car keys. "I'm going there myself to have Jackson explain what happened then send him back here. I'll stay with her." His first concern was getting Trent away from Ally, then seeing if she was alright. He knew exactly why Elliot hadn't taken her to the hospital himself... he was too busy chatting away with Kira, thinking with his dick.

"Austin... look man," Dez felt the need to intervene for Ally's sake. "I don't think that's such a good idea. I mean... you? Barking at her when she first wakes up? Let me go, I'll stay with her."

"Is that what you think I`m gonna do?" His face filled with surprise. "Bark at her?" He shook his head in disbelief. "I want you to brief Jacen here on exactly WHY when I get back, 'White-bread' here is going to be castrated." Opening the door, he walked out before another word was said to piss him off any further. _ Jackson_, of all people, was the one there with her when it should have been Jace or Elliot. He could just see Trent acting all **concerned** and use the opportunity to get on Ally's good side... then later seduce her. He stepped on the accelerator at the thought of that fucker laying one finger on her, of the possibility that he might choose to scare her later on by using his authority over her to get in her pants or worse, that maybe Ally would willingly let him. No, she wouldn't do that, he refused to believe she was that kind of girl. She'd been crushed when she found out that her 'Gavin' hadn't been faithful. He knew what that felt like, how it left a person, whether man or woman, feeling.

**oOo oOo oOo**

Trent flashed her his best smile, still holding her hand as he sat at her bedside.

"I told him, no. I'll take her myself. So I carried you to my car, brought you here and haven't left your side yet. I was so worried about your conditi..."

"Sergeant Jackson?!" The scene he'd walked in on had his blood boiling. Trent had no business holding her hand and the way he was talking to Ally confirmed his suspicions.

Trent dropped her hand and stood up. "Austin. Buddy, I was just..."

"Let's take a walk shall we?"

"Sure thing." He looked to Ally and said he'd be right back.

_Like hell you will_. He took one look at her and cringed at the blood stained bandage on her forehead. There wasn't much that bothered him, but blood, needles and just plain hospitals in general made him queasy. She looked alright other than that.

Austin listened patiently as Trent told him how Ally had gone through his station on the obstacle course. She fell before reaching the second platform of the four tier tower climb and he made her try again. When she fell a second time, it was from much higher up and she didn't have time to tuck and roll her body. She'd fallen on her side and hit the ground hard where she went unconscious almost immediately. Apparently there was good size rock beneath a patch of grass and her head had found it, causing a good size gash near her hairline that required five stitches. The neurologist came in to conduct some simple preliminary tests, checking her coordination, sense of feeling, memory, orientation, and concentration, all of which she passed with flying colors. But because she'd been unconscious for a few minutes, the Doc wanted to run a CAT scan and keep her here to continue his observation, testing her at one hour intervals to be absolutely sure before releasing her.

Since they were in a hospital, Austin didn't dare raise his voice, instead he simply told Trent to go back to work, that since she was **his** soldier he would be the one to stay there with her.

After watching him leave the building he sighed heavily and ran a hand over his face. He was going to be here for a while but that's not what concerned him. She was hurt, needed to be watched over the course of several hours, hell, maybe even overnight. He walked back to the nurse's station and asked if he could speak to the attending physician about his soldier's condition.

The doctor told him exactly what he'd predicted, that he would rather keep her overnight even though her CAT scan came out normal. After that, she was free to go back and finish her training so long as they were careful not to put her into a position where she could receive another blow to the head. They would also need to watch her behavior daily. So long as her vision and mental faculties remained normal, she should be fine.

He was ready to go in and see her but before he did, he walked outside for a quick smoke and to call Dez on his cell to inform him he wouldn't be back with her until the morning and to have someone bring over a clean PT uniform and some personal effects to make her more comfortable. Snapping the phone shut, he threw his cigarette to the ground and crushed it under his boot.

**oOo oOo oOo**

Ally's evening seemed to be going pretty well. Okay, setting aside the concussion and some stitches to her head, but she was getting a rare opportunity to rest and Sergeant Jackson had been pleasant company... that is, until, **he** showed up. By the time Austin came back, she'd been moved into a regular room and told she would most likely stay until the morning.

He walked into her room holding his hat in one hand with his usual cold, expressionless face, beautiful yet deadly eyes boring into her like daggers. He looked pissed, _great. Like it's my fault I'm here_.

"Dawson." He nodded once in her direction then took a seat at the opposite end of the room.

"Good evening, Sergeant." God, the man was so annoying. She knew he couldn't make her do anything while she was here but he still tortured her with his presence. He sat there with his legs spread wide and hooked a thumb through his belt so that his hand rested lightly over his crotch. Her mind flashed back to when he caught her staring at him and she blushed slightly. The nurse had thankfully turned on the television before she left, so she focused her attention on the news and tried to pretend he didn't exist.

The silence was killing him but he wasn't ready to talk to her yet. He was still fuming over Trent. How could they let him take her here? Was she still unconscious when Trent put her in his car? He could have done anything he wanted to her during that time. And then to see her smiling away while he held her hand, _ARGHH_!

"Dawson? When did you wake up?"

"Sergeant?"

"After you hit your head. Where did you wake up?" He had to know. If she didn't wake up until she got here he was going to interrogate Jackson Nazi style.

"Uhmm, the first thing I remember was Sergeant Jackson carrying me to his car, Sergeant." _He better not even act like he cares about what happened to me_.

"And you remained conscious?" She nodded her head. "Good." His chest visibly relaxed upon exhaling.

The nurse came back in and immediately went to work on changing the bandage to Ally's head. Austin tried not to watch but when Ally hissed from the pain, his eyes instinctively went to her forehead and he grimaced from the sight of her dried blood. He'd had stitches plenty of times too but had a hard time staying calm for the needle of lidocaine to numb the area. The thought of a needle coming anywhere near him had his hand impulsively running over his face and into his blonde locks.

"Are you okay, Sergeant?" He looked pale.

"I'm fine." Shaking his head, he got up and left for the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face. By the time he got back to Ally's room, Dez had arrived and was talking away animatedly to Ally.

"... your first war scar."

"It wasn't exactly war, Sergeant." She giggled.

Austin felt jealous. Not over Dez talking to her but that she smiled for him, talked and laughed so easily around him. Her smile was pretty; it lit up her face and made her eyes stand out. Why couldn't she smile like that around him? _Maybe because you live to make her miserable_?

"Austin." Dez noticed him standing in the doorway. He turned to place Ally's bag of personal things on the night table and couldn't help but notice that her smile instantly fade. "Did you want me to stay for a while so you can go back to the barracks?" He expected it when Austin said 'no' but thought he'd at least try for Ally's benefit so she could have a break from dealing with him. "How about dinner? Do you want me to pick something up for you?"

Austin was about to say no when the nurse, who was still there, took hold of Buffy's arm, prepping her for an IV.

"Can you stay here for a moment while I run out and get it myself?"

"Sure thing." He turned to Buffy. "Do you want something to eat?" The nurse answered for her saying she wasn't allowed anything until the doctor said so.

"I'll be here, man, go on."

Ally waited until both Austin and the nurse left the room then asked, "Why does he hate me so much, Sergeant?" If anyone knew, it would be Sergeant McCarthy.

"What? Austin doesn't..." He trailed off when he saw the look of frustration on her face. "Ally is your first name right? Can I call you Ally?"

"Yes, Sergeant."

"You can drop the Sergeant crap for now." He pulled a chair up to her bedside and sat back, pulling his left ankle up to rest over his right knee. "He doesn't hate you, Ally. He treats everyone the same."

"Sure could have fooled me." She rolled her eyes.

"Look, I know he's been hard on you at times but he really is a good guy underneath as hard as it is to believe." She nodded at him and pursed her lips.

"I'm sure he is. I saw how he was with your children, who by the way are very beautiful."

"Well, thank you." He beamed. "Austin wasn't always like this you know. I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but because I don't agree with a lot of the things he's done to you, I will and maybe it'll help you to understand."

Dez didn't go into any great detail other than to tell her his past two fiancé's had both been unfaithful and it tainted his overall opinion of women. He also explained that when it came to girls who looked like her, "No offense to your appearance, but you look like a valley girl cheerleader on first impression," Austin didn't think they were the kind of soldiers the Army needed and was determined to break them, send them home crying to their mommies.

"I was a cheerleader. Not a great one, but I was one, and he's not going to break me." She set her jaw firmly in place when Dez began laughing.

"Yeah, I see that and you have my respect, especially after you flattened him with the pugil. You're one hell of a woman and the first girl he hasn't been able to break. I think that's the reason right there why he's so tough on you. Don't let it get to you. It's all just a psychological game here at boot camp. Once you're through with all your training, the real Army life isn't like that. It's like any other job but with a few more demands placed on your time."

"If you say so. I mean, what if I ever saw him after this? Like two years down the road? Would he still be able to make me do pushups or humiliate me?" She hoped not.

"Technically yes because he's higher ranking than you but no, he wouldn't try it. Once you get assigned to your first duty station, you belong to a unit, a company and it's their duty to watch over you, discipline you if necessary. You answer directly to them and if someone harasses you unnecessarily then you go through your chain of command. I wouldn't worry about it, Ally. It's a small Army but the likelihood of you two ever being assigned to the same place or even bumping into each other is remote. You're going to be a medic while Austin and I are both Infantry soldiers. We go to places like FT Nag, North Carolina or FT Pukert, Georgia. You'll probably be assigned to MEDDAC which is the medical side of the Army and could wind up anywhere, even overseas like Germany. We're on the FORSCOM side, the grunts that spend most of our time in the field. That's not to say you couldn't wind up being assigned to a FORSCOM unit, but you'll almost never have to interact with us. Women aren't allowed to be infantry."

"Thank God for miracles."

They were both chuckling when Austin walked into the room.

"Well, I best be off." He stood and faced Austin. "Call me if you need a break tonight and oh," he reached into his pocket to pull out a deck of cards. "I almost forgot. In case you get bored, maybe you and Dawson can play some cards." Austin cocked an eyebrow at him. "You play cards, Dawson?"

"I've played a few times, yes, Sergeant."

Austin took the deck after setting his sandwich aside and frowned when she smiled at Dez.

"Great. Try not to have too much fun, I'm off."

"Goodbye, Sergeant." Great, now she was stuck with Sergeant Assface all night. Hopefully he'd get sick of being here and call Sergeant McCarthy to come back.

"I'll be back in the morning, man." He waited until Dez left then turned his attention to Ally who went back to staring at the television.

For whatever reason he didn't care to examine, it irritated him that she wouldn't even look in his direction. Well, he'd **make** her look at him. He walked up to the TV, shut it off then sat down in the chair next to her. Wheeling the small portable table between them he slammed the cards on top, making her jump.

"What do you play?"

"I, uhmm..."

"Either you know how to play something or you don't, Dawson. There's no 'uhmm' `bout it."

"Poker?" She offered. She watched him take off his BDU top and had to look away. It was disturbing how handsome he was. Too bad such good looks were wasted on a jerk, a very bitter jerk that should have understood her pain over Gavin, not thrown it in her face like he had.

"Right. You know how to play poker?" He asked accusingly while eyeing her as if she were lying. At least she was looking at him now, well, not directly in the eyes. "It's fine, I'll teach you. Here," he grabbed the remote to the bed and pressed it until she was sitting upright. Good, now they were eye to eye. "Don't worry, I`m not gonna make you do anything in here. Relax." He watched her shoulders sag slightly... from relief he guessed.

Picking the deck up, he shuffled it several times while explaining the basic rules of 'five card stud'. The first two rounds they played, he helped her by looking at her hand, explaining why she would want to get rid of this card or that, telling her the order of what type of hand beats what and so on.

"Let's play one more but this time I won't look. Here, you shuffle." He handed her the deck and reached for his sandwich. As he unwrapped it, he thought about her not being able to eat anything until the doctor said it was alright. He didn't like the thought of her starving so he broke the sandwich in half and threw it on the table in front of her. "You should eat."

"But the doctor said..."

"I don't care what the doc said. You missed chow so you must be hungry, right?" She nodded. "So eat it, I`m not gonna say anything." When she hesitated, he sighed as if exasperated. "Just eat the damn thing before I change my mind about being nice."

"Not that I'm not grateful, Sergeant, but... why?" This shocked her. Him. Sergeant Sourpuss. Being nice. On purpose?

"You said you were hungry."

She shook her head. "No, I mean being nice."

"As hard as it is for you to believe, I`m quite capable of being nice."

"I never said you..."

"Take it or leave it, it`s your choice."

"Geez, I'll take it." She scowled and snatched the sandwich up, taking a huge bite out of it.

"Thought you might." He couldn't help himself, wasn't even aware of it when it happened... he tilted his head to one side and smiled at her. Even if she **was** purposefully taking advantage of the fact he couldn't punish her, he was pleased she was eating and the defiant frown she wore was incredibly cute.

_Yup, way more handsome when he smiles_. She returned his smile with one of her own, glad he hadn't gotten mad over her impulsive statement. Maybe the evening wouldn't be so bad after all. She could care less if he **actually** came to like her, oh no. But if they could come to some kind of middle ground, a truce, something so he'd ease up on her then it would be worth being nice back to him. Hey, she could hope, right?

Austin took care of cleaning up after they finished eating then pointed to the cards she'd dealt and picked up his own. "Let's see what you've learned so far, shall we?" He tried to shake the fact that when she sassed him he'd enjoyed it. She caught him off guard with that beautiful smile, that's all.

Lord knows she tried to concentrate but it was becoming increasingly difficult. The faint scent of smoke mixed with his cologne and something else filled the air around her. It was strong, heady, uniquely male, intoxicating, distracting, **too** distracting. She couldn't remember Gavin ever smelling that good and why was she letting his scent get to her anyway? She felt the sudden need for some fresh air so she interrupted him.

"I need to get changed, Sergeant."

"Oh. Right." He forgot all about the sack of clothes he had Dez bring for her. Picking it up, he handed it over.

She looked through the bag to find one item in particular when an evil thought crossed her mind.

"Oh no. No, no, no, no!" She rummaged through the bag some more.

"What?" He sat up to see what she was stressing over.

"There's no tampons in here," she cried.

""What?! Oh, oh, WHAT THE HELL!" He stood up and began pacing the room, running his hand through his hair over and over while babbling. "I'm not going to a store for you. No, no. No way, no. This is a hospital, they must have something." A couple of 'fucking hells' later and the sound of her snickering caught his attention.

She held up her box of tampons and shook it back and forth, a huge grin gracing her lips. The expression on his face was priceless. Frustration, shock, relief and irritation all flashed over his features within seconds of each other. _Score number two for me_.

"Not funny, Dawson." He put his hands on his hips; fully prepared to chastise her some more but couldn't do it. Her eyes were shining while she giggled over having fooled him... she looked adorable.

"You're right it wasn't, it was downright hysterical. You should have seen the look on your face." She snickered some more while swinging her legs over the side of the bed and stood. "I couldn't resist... hey!" He scared her when he suddenly rushed toward her.

He ran over and placed his hands against her shoulders. "You don't wanna pull that out." He looked down at the IV leading into her arm.

"Oh." She looked into his eyes, noting how he stared with worry and... that he had yet to remove those amazingly beautiful, strong hands of his from her. It sent an involuntary shiver through her body. "Thanks." She looked down, telling herself it was just a chill in the air.

She trembled slightly and he retracted his hands as if burnt, realizing he'd never physically touched her until now. He shouldn't have, he could have just yelled to her not to move. It was the concern over her pulling the IV out that made him react like that. Yes, that was it.

She took the IV stand and wheeled it to the bathroom inside her room and closed the door. Opening her sack, she pulled out her clothes, hairbrush and toothbrush, everything she assumed Trish had packed for her and set to work getting herself cleaned up and changed.

Austin was sitting down again when he heard her call out to him.

"Sergeant Moon? I need some help." She had her shirt half on when she realized just what a task it was going to be getting her arm through her sleeve with a bag of fluid connected to her. God this was embarrassing.

"Yeah?" He walked to the bathroom door and waited for her to answer. Instead, she opened it half way to face him with pleading eyes.

"I can't get my arm through my shirt with the IV bag."

"I, ahh. Ahem. Okay then." He raised his hands then hesitated. Tilting his head from side to side he nervously reached for her in a different position only to pull back again, trying to decide the best angle in which to help her. "Can you... turn around?" This was an innocent situation, an innocent request. He wouldn't need to touch her, no big deal... _for God sakes, just help the girl_.

She opened the door completely and turned her back to him. From the mirror on the far wall, she watched him while wiggling her arm into place beneath the shirt, trying desperately with her free hand to hold it modestly in place so as not to expose herself.

As carefully as possible, he lifted the bag of saline off its hook and told her to take it while he held her top down and away from her body, leaving enough room for her to maneuver it through the arm hole.

"I can't pull it through with my hand, the sleeve... it's too small." She tried but it was proving too much of a struggle and she was fearful of pulling the catheter out in the process. It looked like it was going to take both his hands as well as hers. "Can you maybe... uhmm, hold my shirt with one hand and the bag with the other until I get my hand through, then help shove it through so I can take it?"

He barely choked out a 'yes' as she let go of the opposite side of her shirt. He looked up at her in the mirror then quickly back down, taking a shaky breath as his hand went under the thin cotton material. Her nipples were visibly pebbled, she wasn't wearing a bra... again. That fact gave more than a rise to just his awareness as his pants tented.

It was unavoidable. His knuckles brushed against her skin, making him groan internally at how soft she felt. Keeping his eyes downcast, her shirt inevitably rose up and from her side and he caught a glimpse of the swell of her breast. The more she moved the more contact they made and what he wouldn't give to shut the bathroom door behind them, bend her over the sink and take her right there. He was grateful when she finally took the bag from him with her free hand because he felt the need to slap himself sober from his lusty thoughts.

She swore she saw him blushing in the mirror while he helped her... which couldn't be right. But then again, the fact his hand kept touching her side hadn't escaped her attention either. He must have been embarrassed, because there was **no** way he was remotely attracted to her. It was too obvious he hated her.

He waited until she came out and got back in bed before sitting down. "Where were we?" He grabbed his cards, trying to will away his erection through focusing on the game. Three hands later and he had a sneaking suspicion she knew more about poker than she let on.

**oOo oOo oOo**

_Two hours later_

"I guess that means I win?" She smiled innocently and threw down a royal flush, snickering when he 'hmphh'ed' at her. "My deal." She shuffled and dealt, picking up her hand and immediately decided not to trade any cards out. "How many?"

"You're gonna keep what's in your hand?" She nodded. _Silly girl_. "You sure?" She nodded again. "You're goin' down this time. Gimme three." He waited until he had his replacement cards in hand. He only had a pair of threes but kept his poker face and bid ten points, hoping she'd fold. He'd only won perhaps three games total since they began playing and when she beat him this time as they both laid their cards down he openly accused her. "Did you just hustle me?"

She smiled coquettishly at him. "Little bit, mm-hmm." He sat back and glared at her.

"Don't know how to play poker, my ass." Oh, ho-ho, she was goooood, **real** good. "How long you been playin?"

"I don't know, three, four years maybe. My dad let me watch when his friends started coming to our house every Wednesday to play. After about a year, they let me join in." She shrugged her shoulders. Big deal, it was an easy game. He shook his head back and forth. "What?"

"I can't believe I went easy on you, that you let me go through teaching you and you knew the whole time." He narrowed his eyes on her. "I'm gonna smoke you for this when you get outta here." Even so, he had to hand it to her... she worked him over good.

An idea came to mind. "Well, now that you DO know, how about we play for real this time? Up the ante, the stakes?"

"No," shaking his head back and forth. "No gambling. As soldiers we're not allowed to gamble for money."

"Not for money. Let's play for something... a little more interesting."

He didn't know what she had in mind, but he was most definitely curious. "I'm listening."

"If I win, you have to stop riding me so hard." _And I can't believe I just said that_. He quirked an eyebrow at her. "I-I. What I meant was... you have to let up on me entirely. No more harassing me."

He almost choked when she mentioned 'riding' but hid any sign of being aware of what she'd said and just raised an eyebrow at her. "Alright. And if I win?" He held his breath.

She thought for a moment. Well, if she was going to ask him to leave her alone completely, then it was only fair to offer him whatever he wanted. "If you win... you can do anything you want to me."

He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbed slowly in his suddenly **more** than dry throat. All his sexual fantasies involving her came flooding back despite knowing that's not what she meant. "Really?" She looked him dead in the eye and spoke with serious conviction.

"Anything... Sergeant." She saw a hint of hesitation in his eyes. "Unless you're scared?" That got his attention.

"Hey, I'm not scared of a little girl. You're on." He gathered the cards back up and stared her down as menacingly as possible while shuffling. "You're gonna regret making that bet, Dawson. I'm gonna own you after this hand." She had the nerve to roll her eyes at him.

"I mean no disrespect when I say if you can dish it out, I can take it. Question is... if I win, will you keep your word?" He growled at her as he began dealing the cards out.

A few minutes later, Ally won. Her triumphant look faded however as he began pouting and complaining like a child.

"Fine. If you're going to be a sore loser, we can play again." She laughed when he glared at her. "Best two out of three. Take it or leave it."

He shoved the deck in her direction. "Deal!" He didn't like losing, especially not to a girl, even if said girl was starting to slowly earn more and more respect from him.

He won the second hand and openly gloated. "Pressure's on, Dawson. If I win, it`s anything I want, right?"

"Anything." There's no way he'd win. He was good, but she was better, no two ways about it.

Two minutes later, he proved her wrong.

"HAH!" Even though he'd won, what he really wanted to do to her was completely out of the question. That's okay, her physical torture would suffice.

_Shit! Shit, shit, shit_! "Okay. You win, fair and square."

The doctor came back in to check on her and Austin excused himself for a smoke.

**oOo oOo oOo**

She was sooooo screwed but it was a fair game. Besides, she'd spoke the truth... there wasn't anything he could dish out that she couldn't handle. She watched him walk back into the room and remove the table from in front of her.

"Better get some sleep. We're leaving first thing in the morning." He watched her nod and handed her the remote to the bed so she could recline.

"Yes, Sergeant." Apparently he'd had enough. He'd won, was gloating, plotting her torture and that was that.

During the hourly checkups throughout the night, Austin found himself waking up right alongside Ally. When the doctor made her sit up, he found himself sitting up too, watching, waiting, praying her answers to his questions were correct, indicating she was indeed alright. He tried telling himself it was just so he could take her back to the barracks and collect his winnings, making her wish she'd never been born, but deep down... he knew better. The tiny brunette was no longer the weak and frightened cheerleader she was when she'd first arrived. His hate **and** his lust for her already had him doing everything possible to break her spirit yet here she was, telling him _'if you can dish it out, I can take it'_. She **could**, he knew she **would** because he'd turned her into that kind of soldier. The kind he could be proud of having in his Army.

3 AM rolled around and he couldn't get back to sleep. Leaving her room for another smoke, he began to question whether or not it was fair... that he'd won. It wasn't their original bet. She'd been the bigger person, the one who suggested best two out of three after he whined like a nancy-boy.

On his way back in, the doctor informed him she seemed to be perfectly fine, but he would check on her a couple more times then release her around five. Austin breathed a sigh of relief then tensed as he thought about going back to the barracks. He still had yet to deal with Finn... and deal with him he would. He wanted to physically throttle the stupid farm-boy but decided a change to his work schedule so that it didn't coincide with Kira's and a verbal warning would have to do. He couldn't afford to get himself in trouble by beating the living daylights out of Elliot, not so close to the time he would be leaving this place. He thought about that for a moment... he was finally leaving this place, going back to being just a regular soldier. It filled him with relief. The long hours, the funny brown hat, all of it would be a distant memory soon and in a few short months Dez would be joining him. They both came down on orders at the same time and were pleased to learn they were to be stationed at the same place and unit. Yes, his life would soon regain some sense of normalcy and he could hardly wait.

He took up his seat again by her side and stared at her sleeping form. She'd removed the elastic band from her hair, letting it down to flow freely around her face like a halo. She was beautiful, breathtakingly beautiful and he found himself taking in everything about her. The tantalizing swell of her womanly curves outlined beneath the white blanket, the delicate, fine features of her face, her long lashes, smooth skin... He drank all of her in with his eyes, appreciating everything that made her a woman, committing it to memory. Her pouty lips parted when she suddenly sighed and his pants instantly tightened as he focused on those two luscious lips, imagining them wrapped around his cock. He caught himself before he groaned aloud. He could just picture her on her knees, pleasuring him right before he pulled her onto his lap to lower her lovely bum onto his aching shaft, feeling her heat, her snug walls strangling his manhood tightly as he made her cum hard around him.

She moaned in her sleep and turned on her side to face him, a few strands of hair falling in front of her nose. With a mind of its own, his fingers reached out and took hold of the silky strands to push them gently away. He wasn't quite aware of the fact he still held her hair between his fingers, rubbing it gently between them to confirm its softness until she moaned again.

That's when it dawned on him. He'd allowed himself to just look at her. As a man. He was just a man who wanted a woman. This woman. For all her strong will, her sass, her ability to beat him at more than just one kind of game... a very strong willed, tough and perfectly sensual woman. Here it was he'd tried to break **her**, when in fact it was she that had broken him. Broke him down into acting like nothing more than a lusting schoolboy who went home every night and fucked his hand pretending it was her, coming back the next day to pick on her as if it were **her** fault. It was in this moment he knew he could no longer be in her presence without wanting her and he didn't trust himself, **couldn't** trust himself **not** to act on his desires. Oh God! He was no better than Trent! There was only one thing he **could** do. He'd have to leave her alone. She was the rightful winner of their game and he would honor his word and leave her alone, not for his sake, but for hers.

**TBC**

**I mean, you know what to do to make me do my happy dance… ;)**

**FAV/FOLLOW for email updates on this story!**


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own, nor do I profit from, the Disney Channel program 'Austin & Ally' or the characters therein. They are simply used in the following story for my own entertainment. Original story 'In The Army Now' written for the Buffy fandom by Im_bloody_english. This work belongs to her and I take no credit for the story line. Names and locations have been changed to suit the Austin & Ally fandom. No copyright infringement intended.

**This one is a little shorter than the others, but on the bright side, we're getting a lot closer to the stuff a lot of you have been asking for in the reviews. Just trust the flow ;)**

**oOo oOo oOo**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

_-Saturday week 7-_

What the hell was his problem? It'd been nearly a week since Ally was in the hospital, since he'd won their little game of poker and not once, not **once** did he so much as even **look** her way. The first couple days she was relieved and thought nothing of it. After all, they were in phase three of their training and the Drill Sergeants had everyone super busy, getting them qualified with their weapons, taking their final physical fitness test, in essence, all their 'End Of Cycle Tests' before Warrior Week began.

They were on the obstacle course this morning, one last chance for a practice run through each station before being tested in pairs and where was he... standing near a picnic table almost three hundred yards behind the recruits, casually smoking a cigarette while talking with Sergeant Jackson.

He'd had plenty of opportunities to mess with her, make her do whatever he wanted and what had he done? Nothing. Abso-fuckin-lutely **nothing**. She should have been doing the snoopy dance, but instead she was furious. He'd been nothing shy of evil to her since day one and now... what? She suddenly wasn't good enough anymore? He was treating her as if she didn't exist. He didn't look at her, didn't come near her, it was as if his every move was purposefully calculated to avoid her at **all** costs. She was ready, **had** been ready for him. Bring it on, anything and everything he wished to unleash on her, she would show him, make it look like a walk in the park.

"What's wrong?" Trish was concerned. She'd spent enough time being Ally's friend to know her moods and when Sergeant Moon finally backed away from torturing her, Ally became agitated instead of happy about it.

"That!" She pointed in Austin's direction. "The man lived to torment me daily and now that I'm strong enough to take his shit... nothing. He won't even look at me sideways, Trish. What gives with that?"

"Uhmm, not to sound all with the cliché's here but, don't-cha kinda think that maybe you're, uhmm, kicking a gift horse in the mouth?" Ally looked at her as if she were insane. "I mean all the Drill Sergeants have backed off from harassing anyone unless they deserve it. He's probably just doing the same."

"No. There's something wrong with him." There had to be.

**oOo oOo oOo**

Graduation was approaching fast, but not fast enough for Austin. Ally still haunted his every waking fantasy whether he was here at work or home. After she was released from the hospital and he finished his shift, his first stop before going to his apartment had been to a drugstore to purchase his first pack of condoms in what felt like years. He put two in his wallet and two in the glove compartment of his car, determined to shag the next willing women that came his way, except Kira of course. He was sure when he did, it would flush his mind of her image, help him to get over his infatuation and move on... though it had yet to happen.

That wasn't the only thing stressing him lately, however. After next week, he would only be working two more days and then he was finished being a Drill Sergeant. He needed at least three days off to out-process his company, the post and take care of some personal business before making one last walk-about his office then head out of state for good. Although he was looking forward to leaving, if he didn't find some time soon to make up a proper schedule, Ally might not have the protection she needed from Dez, Elliot and Jace against Trent. He wouldn't put it past the worm to try something so close to the time the recruits were to leaving. In fact, it seemed like the perfect time, thus, the stress.

They were under the pavilion, having a smoke together. Lindsey sat on top of a picnic table while Austin stood, one foot planted on the bench, leaning his elbow on his raised knee, tilting his head down to take long drags off his cigarette. He was doing his best to act interested in whatever Trent was currently talking about but underneath he loathed being near him, having to watch him. He looked up to see Dez walking in their direction to join them.

"You know those things will kill you, right?" He stood behind Trent so the east wind carried the smoke away from him and chuckled when Austin looked over Trent's shoulder to flip him the bird. "Well men, we've done it again. Took a bunch of kids and turned them into soldiers." He pointed off towards their own platoon as they took turns scaling the high wooden wall. "They're doing an outstanding job."

"That they are." Trent took a drag off his cigarette and kept his eyes fixed on the recruits.

Austin was paying no attention to the idle chatter when he noticed Ally was next in line. Everything was as it should be, just like it was right now at this very moment. Her, following orders and doing what she had to. Him, as far away from her as humanly possible.

"I gotta hand it to ya, Aus. You did a real nice job on her."

"`Scuse me?" He looked over at Trent, back to Ally and back to Trent again. He was watching Ally like a predator as she began her ascent of the wall.

"Dawson." He took one last drag and crushed the cigarette out on the table top, exhaling the smoke through his nose before speaking again. "That diet you put her on? She filled out reeeeal nice." He smiled as he watched her bottom wiggle while she maneuvered herself into position.

Dez's gaze snapped to Austin's. He could smell something was about to happen and a huge part of him wanted it to. Trent had been nothing but a thorn in their side, having to baby-sit him over these last few weeks. Keeping his eyes on Austin, he asked, "Filled out?"

"Just look at her. Oh yeah... gonna tear that ass up."

Trent never saw it coming. One moment he was talking and the next he heard a growl right before he was knocked to the ground, getting the shit beat out of him.

There was no thinking involved on Austin's part. The object of his infatuation was being threatened and his gut instinct was to eliminate that threat. Launching himself at the other man, he tackled him to the ground and with lightning speed, set about pounding into him. In full protective mode, he held nothing back as he dealt blow after blow in rapid succession along with a string of curses from between gritted teeth.

Dez knew, Dez saw, Dez didn't give a shit. With a satisfied smirk on his face, he remained cool and casual about the whole thing. Backing up against a wooden beam, he leaned against it, crossed his arms and preferred to watch rather than interfere. Trent would lose and Austin wouldn't have a scratch on him, he'd bet his paycheck on it. What he couldn't bet on was what, or rather who exactly brought this on. Was it the mention of Ally herself or could Trent have said any of the other female's names and Austin would have reacted the same? The fact Austin was ignoring her altogether these days raised his suspicions again over how he felt about her. He'd never question his friend about it though, he knew Austin well enough to know that even if it were the case, that he had some secret crush, he'd never do anything even mildly inappropriate to a female, especially one directly under his care.

It wasn't until Trent's blood began to spill that Dez worried Austin was taking it too far. He'd seen him in a fit of rage plenty of times. Hell, they'd been in more than one bar fight together, pre-Kate years of course, but this attack seemed particularly vicious, like it was personal. He looked over at his platoon and noticed everyone's attention was now drawn in the direction of the warring Drill Sergeants.

"Aus! Austin, man, stop. He's had enough and people are watching! AUSTIN!" Apparently he'd have to interfere, Austin looked like he was enjoying himself too much, still punching away, shouting obscenities, insults and threats at the top of his lungs.

All he saw was red, both in his mind and on Trent's face. He felt Dez dragging him off the bloodied Drill Sergeant's body and shouted one last warning before storming off. "Ally is mine... stay the fuck away from her."

Those closest to the pavilion saw what happened, heard every word... including Ally. Trish and Carrie stared at her in shock, their faces full of questions and confusion. Like she had the answer? She was just as bewildered as to what she'd witnessed as they were. With wide eyes, all she could do was shrug her shoulders and watch as Austin walked past them towards the parking lot to his car, she guessed, nostrils flaring.

"What are you looking at?" He barked. "Get back to training." He watched everyone scramble away to do as they were told, all except Ally. "Did I stutter, Dawson?" She jumped a mile then turned away from him. His hands shook, heart beating furiously, mind still so preoccupied with jealousy that he never even realized just what it was that he'd said, that he'd used her first name or that he'd referenced her like a personal possession.

**oOo oOo oOo**

_-Friday week 8-_

This week they'd been 'camping' and oh, what fun it was... **not**! Ally's pitiful excuse for a bed back at the barracks suddenly looked like a 'Posturepedic' compared to sleeping on the cold ground under a lean-to tent, when she actually **had** a chance to sleep. Baby wipes replaced showers, porta-potties instead of toilets and she now thought highly of the chow hall food after being substituted for MREs, meals ready to eat. Either a person liked them or hated them. It didn't matter what kind it was, everything was vacuum packed, needed water to take shape, look like food **and** be edible, contained two thousand calories total, leaving one constipated as hell. With three of these bad boys a day, she certainly wasn't going to lose any weight. At least they were allowed to wear make-up now. Look out Maybelline, the Army's own personal line of foundation comes in a trio of stunning shades... olive drab, muted soot and shit brown, apply all three and blend for that NATO-camo look every girl wants.

Their days were filled with tactical field exercises, being tested on their performance of all kinds of 'war-like' activities. They 'ambushed' each other in their respective platoons, used strictly hand signals to maneuver through the forest, threw colored smoke bombs to move 'under cover' or went for complete concealment by adding twigs and brush to their helmets, laying prone in wait, silent and unmoving for any unsuspecting enemies. Certain scenarios had them using hand-held radios to communicate with headquarters, a compass with a set of coordinates and a topographical map to rendezvous at specific locations. Other times they were ordered to find the 'wounded', soldiers who were selected at random with tags attached to their uniforms indicating their battle injuries, patch them up properly for transport to a field hospital all under the watchful eye of a Drill Sergeant. And let's not forget the fun of hearing that single word of warning, 'incoming'. The Drill Sergeants found it most amusing to periodically throw a tear gas canister in their midst, forcing them to swiftly don their chemical gear or suffer the snotty, puking consequences.

If they weren't worn out from the daytime activities, there were exercises all through the night as well. They had a schedule for night patrol to secure the perimeters of their encampment, using code words or phrases if another soldier was caught trying to cross their border. If they didn't speak the correct password, they were to capture and subdue through, simulated, force then detain them for interrogation. Then there was the fun from having a night infiltration mission of an enemy camp, pitting platoon against platoon with the reward of an extra MRE, which stimulated everyone's motivation yet no one's bowels.

On that Friday's evening, they were faced with the most intense exercise of them all; one that scared the shit out of everyone despite the MREs acting as a butt plug. Dressed in full battle gear with their rifles slung over their backs, everyone began low crawling under barbed concertina wire while bullets flew over their heads in this simulated 'live-fire' exercise. Explosions from smoke grenades going off to their sides, flashes of red light whizzing overhead from the tracer rounds fired, telling Ally just how low to the ground these weapons were actually being fired. Basically, if she stood up, she'd be dead. If anything made her understood how all her cumulative training impacted her performance on how to cope and stay alive during a real war situation, it was right here and now.

The exhilarating finish to this exciting week was a brisk, scenic stroll back to the barracks, if you consider a forced-paced, non-stop 15k road march with thirty extra pounds to everyone's back and some blisters for good measure on one's feet to be every vacationer here at Ft Lemonworth's dream.

Austin had been there every day, every step of the way, looking as sexy as he could be and **still** ignoring her. She fantasized about walking up to him to demand an explanation for the rudest behavior he'd subjected her to yet. Just who did he think he was? It was his job to make her life hell and his performance had been stellar up until roughly two weeks ago. Was he slipping? Going soft on her? Something wasn't right and if she **had** the time and opportunity, she'd chase him down, no, fuck that, she'd **pin** him down, force him to fess-up while she held his wrists over his head, straddled his lean torso, rub herself over his hard... _huh_?

"Dawson!" Dez spoke louder this time.

"Yes, Sergeant."

He'd called her name five times. The fact that she'd been staring at Austin now raised questions in his mind about **her** attitude towards his friend. Was she attracted to him? Was he attracted to her? It just couldn't be. Okay maybe, perhaps, it wasn't entirely impossible that under completely different circumstances sure, they'd make a great couple, that is, if they could keep from killing one another during the courting process. Matter of fact, the more he thought about it, the more suspicious he became, particularly after what Austin had told Trent... _'Ally is mine...' _ He supposed it didn't matter even if they did fancy each other, Austin was leaving soon and they'd never see one another again.

He snickered as he thought back to Trent standing up, ready to report Austin and cause him all kinds of trouble. That was never going to happen, not after he dropped the name of the informant who would testify to his past 'special relationships' that had him transferred here in the first place. It was gratifying to finally tell the sleaze ball just what a piece of shit he really was and how the rest of the cadre was tired of having him under constant surveillance. Yup, that shut him up... permanently.

"Dawson, I want you to take the rear of formation and help the slackers catch up."

"Yes, Sergeant." _Erghh_. It seemed her body was so well conditioned that she was constantly singled out to help those that were slower. _Oh well_, at least she wouldn't have to look at **him** anymore.

**oOo oOo oOo**

_-Tuesday week 9-_

Everyone could breathe; relax a little now that training was over. Graduation week was filled with tedious tasks such as getting those gorgeous green polyester uniforms and shiny black shoes together for the final ceremony on Sunday. It wasn't that Ally hated the uniform, she just felt it was more like a Monet... looks good from a distance but once you get close, it's all messed up **and** incredibly scratchy. She sat there in the common room; thinking about what school would be like when she got there next week, twiddling her thumbs while various names were called out for mail. Then **he** showed up and took over for Sergeant McCarthy, annoying her with that-that... face a-and that deep, soothing rumble to his voice that felt like velvet every time it flowed into her ears.

Austin took the stack of letters from Dez, telling the soldiers he hoped they'd informed their mommies and daddies to stop writing soon because they weren't going to be here to get it beyond this week. He walked around and handed the soldiers their correspondence rather than flinging it at them since it was his last day.

"Baldwin. De la Rosa..."

He still wouldn't acknowledge her and she felt like a ghost. She sat right next to Trish when he handed her letter over and his eyes never even left the bundle in his hand. She was fuming. She just didn't get it. He was supposed to thrash her, drag her through the mud, whatever he **wanted** and-and, _arghh_! He wouldn't look at her, made her feel as if she was so far beneath him he didn't have a single word to say to her, bad or good.

_Dawson_. He froze. She had a letter, and **not** from her mum or dad. Larger than life on the front of the envelope was Gavin's name. He couldn't believe it. The ass-wipe was trying to get back with her. With one microscopic heart drawn over the 'i' in Gavin, he knew without a doubt this jackass, that didn't deserve a woman as good as Ally, was going to undo all his efforts at getting her over that hill of heartbreak in her life. He looked up and noticed everyone staring at him; he'd been silent for several long seconds while deep in thought. He couldn't throw it away; he **had** to give it to her.

"Dawson."

From her favorite corner roost, she waited for him to walk over but he just stood there and held it out, obviously waiting for her to come to him. _Great, he hates me so much that he doesn't even __**want**__ to hand me my mail_. She hid her irritation, stood up and walked towards him. As she held out her hand, he placed one end of the envelope in hers but held on when she tried to take it. She looked up and his gaze instantly locked with hers, catching her off guard. Not only was he looking directly into her eyes, but he was definitely trying to communicate something to her. For the first time, his eyes were soft and full of some message she was unable to read.

He let go of the letter but held her eyes with his until she broke contact by glancing down at the envelope. She read the front then looked up at him once more. Hopefully she understood now what he was trying to say that he couldn't out loud.

He got his answer two seconds later when she held it up in front of her, tore the entire thing in two and handed it back to him, a defiant, stubborn pout forming on her lips as if saying, 'screw him'. He watched her prance away and didn't bother to hide his smile this time when she sat down and eyed him again. _'That's my girl'_. True, he couldn't have her, but Gavin definitely didn't deserve her. Hopefully she would find someone someday who would be good to her, treat her better than Gavin had, better than Brooke or Piper had treated him.

**oOo oOo oOo**

_-Sunday, week 9, Graduation Day-_

Graduation was over and everyone was busy with family and friends. Not Ally. Her parents couldn't make it but she didn't let it bother her, she was glad to just have these nine weeks over with. She hadn't seen Austin since Tuesday and wondered every day where he was. Not because she cared or anything, just that she would have loved to finally ask **him** what his major malfunction was. Whatever! Good riddance, she was free. Free of this place and free of him forever.

"Sergeant McCarthy?" She tapped him on the shoulder.

"Dawson, how are you? Where's your family?" She looked sad.

"They weren't able to come, but that's why I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure. Fire away."

"Since everyone is busy visiting here, I was wondering if it would be okay if I went back to the barracks and just lay down to rest?" He frowned at her and she prepared herself for him to say no.

"I really shouldn't because there's no one there right now, BUT..." He smiled. "I trust you won't go AWOL on me and I think you've more than earned yourself a nap. Go on, get out of here."

"Thank you, thank you sooooo much, Serg..." he cut her off.

"Don't thank me, thank your recruiter. Now get."

She chuckled and left the parade field to walk the three blocks back to the barracks alone. Just the thought of being **alone** for the first time since she arrived was going to be heaven.

She got to her room and had to unpack her PT shorts and shirt so she could change into something more comfortable before lying down. Everyone had their civilian and Army things packed up and ready to leave today for their next destination... school. The charter bus that was taking Trish, her and everyone else that was going to become a medical specialist to school wouldn't be here until evening. She'd at least have a couple hours rest before needing to get up and get moving, and she planned on sleeping hard. Her bunk was devoid of any sheets and blankets because they had to turn them in to the quarter master that morning. She was so tired it made no difference as she sat down, listening to the familiar creak she'd grown accustomed to for the last time. Stretching out on her back, her eyes closed, preparing for sleep when a noise caught her attention.

Austin came in when he knew everyone would be at graduation. He wasn't one for goodbyes, hated them even though it was the Army way of life, people always coming and going in between duty stations like a revolving door. Sighing, he took off his BDU top and settled it on the back of the chair and laid the black duffle bag he'd brought with him on top of the desk. He set about collecting his personal belongings that still remained; a few plaques, a coffee mug, odds and ends mostly.

_**Clang**_. He accidentally knocked his car keys off the desk.

When he bent over to retrieve them, he felt a strong sense of déjà vu; he wasn't alone. Someone was watching him. Closing his eyes and inhaling as he stood, he didn't need to turn around; the smell of vanilla in the air told him exactly who was standing behind him... _Ally_! He continued packing, keeping his back to her.

**TBC**

**oOo oOo oOo**

**It has come to my attention in a recent review that there is a possibility a lot of you are not reading the disclaimers or authors notes at the beginning of each chapter. I know from your responses that some of you do, but a lot of you ask questions that are already answered in the note. One guest this morning asked if all of my stories are just taken from other authors. No, I have several original stories, but I do know a good story when I read one, and with the Buffy fandom dying out with new generations, I can't see letting a great story get forgotten as a result, so I tweak it. Of the ****two**** authors I have used, one gave me permission, and was generous and supportive of doing so. The original author for **_**this**_** story never responded to my email. For that reason I make sure to put her penname and fandom in the disclaimer so that people can give credit to the original writer, and even search for the original story and read it if they want to. It is never my intention to take any credit for someone else's work, like I said, I just want to share the thrills and excitement I got as a young teen to all of you, and this is the way to do it. I hope this clears some things up, and that you don't think less of me for it. I love you all :)**

_**There are 12 stories listed in my account. For clarification purposes…**_

**My Original Stories:**

**1. Mistletoe**

**2. One More Night**

**3. Don't Wait Up**

**4. Be Mine**

**5. Peacocks & Pandemonium**

**6. Up & Away**

**7. Freaks & Geeks**

**8. Maple Flavored Lip Balm**

**Adapted Stories:**

**9. Room Service**

**10. Coming Clean**

**11. In The Army Now**

**12. 'I'll Be Seeing You' is unique because the first ten and a half chapters are adapted, and the rest is original and still a work in progress, one I hope to extend quite a bit for a great story line.**

**I'm very interested in hearing what your thoughts are knowing (hopefully, now that you've read this) that some of your favorite stories from me, aren't, well, mine. I can only hope it doesn't taint your opinion of me, after all I've been writing this in my authors notes all along.**

**Until next time… ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own, nor do I profit from, the Disney Channel program 'Austin & Ally' or the characters therein. They are simply used in the following story for my own entertainment. Original story 'In The Army Now' written for the Buffy fandom by Im_bloody_english. This work belongs to her and I take no credit for the story line. Names and locations have been changed to suit the Austin & Ally fandom. No copyright infringement intended.

**oOo oOo oOo**

**CHAPTER SIX**

"Go away, Dawson," he spoke gruffly.

It no longer surprised her that he seemed to know whenever she was around without looking. "No."

He looked over his shoulder at her. "Excuse me?" She had some nerve!

"Did I stutter?" The opportunity to confront him fell in her lap and she wasn't about to let it go.

He faced forward again, ignoring her completely, unwilling to let her bait him.

_Prick_! "Don't turn away from me, I have questions." Her anger began to rise when he spoke but refused to face her.

"Then why don't you go ask someone who gives a fuck."

Undeterred, she began her interrogation. "What happened the other day?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." _What is she talking about_?

"The fight. With Sergeant Jackson? You said my name."

_Fuck_. "Don't get your panties in a twist, it was just a slip of the tongue." Not a subject he wanted to discuss at all.

She raised her voice. "You beat the crap out of him, call me _yours_ and expect me not to wonder what it was all about?"

He wheeled on her, anger welling up in his chest. _Time to turn the tables on Miss High-and-Mighty_. "Oh, you wanna ask questions huh? Well here's one for ya. Who was checking who out a few weeks ago?" She may not want him, but she damn sure liked what she saw.

Her jaw dropped, cheeks instantly aflame from embarrassment that he would bring that up. She tried to respond but her mouth wouldn't work.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." He sneered at her.

_ARGHH! You conceited piece of_... "Oh, like your God's gift." She was mad before they even began their conversation, but now she was **pissed**. No way was he going to get the better of her. _Time to take the gloves off, Mister_.

Ooooh, she wanted to play huh? Okay, play he would. He crossed his arms and one ankle over the other as he leaned his backside against the desk. "Hardly, wouldn't be nearly as interesting." He let his cocky side out full force and curled his tongue behind his teeth. "Bet I could make you scream though."

His whole attitude, this arrogant air he attacked her with had her fuming, itching in the worst way with the need to lash out. Ignoring whatever it was he'd said she abruptly changed the subject.

"What are you doing here?" She interrupted him the second his mouth opened to answer. "Five words or less..."

He stood up straight and squared his jaw at her, holding his fingers up one at a time as he gave her his answer. "Packing. My. Personal. Belogings... BITCH," ending with his thumb and a disgusted look. He watched her look around in confusion. "I'm no longer your Drill Sergeant, Dawson. So why don't you leave?"

"Really?" Now things were getting interesting.

"Yeah. But just cuz I`m not doesn't mean I won't have you written up for being disrespectful to me as an NCO and your superior."

"It'll be worth it." Her tone went cold as she narrowed her eyes on him. So what! Let him. There was no way she was leaving him alone until she got some satisfaction. "What is your deal? You had your chance to do whatever you wanted to me and you didn't, you went soft on me."

"Hey!" Tensions were heating the room up and much to his dismay, his reaction to seeing her defiance, her aggression, her pretty face flush from anger was beginning to turn him on. "I'm far from soft, honey." The innuendo was lost on her, he could tell from her face. _I can't believe she's this dense_. Shaking his head in disbelief he put his back to her again, trying to will away the erection that was threatening to tear through his pants. She needed to get out of here before he did something he'd regret.

"I must have been the most horrible recruit ever to have earned your undivided attention and now you-you... it's like you don't notice I'm even in the same room." Oblivious to all but her anger, she was going to unload everything on her mind before she left.

"I notice a lot of things." He closed his eyes in an effort to regain a sense of control over his hormones, speaking as calmly as he could.

"Like what?" she asked exasperated.

"I noticed you don't like wearing a bra." If he could embarrass her enough maybe she'd leave, since ignoring her wasn't working.

"Oh, don't EVEN. You're one to talk, Sergeant COMMANDO!" _Try to embarrass me? Bastard_!

His cheeks turned beet red as he whipped around to face her. He definitely didn't see that one coming from her sharp tongue.

"How did you... wait. When did you..." He tried to talk but she rendered him speechless. Her hands were on her hips, head cocked to the side, looking at him as if he were the dumbest man on earth.

"Rain. Thin cotton Army shorts. You do the math," she said matter-of-factly.

"Wh-why are you still here?" That's all he could come up with to say he was so taken aback by her brazenness.

_Time to address another issue_. "And what gives with turning me into 'Private Porker' here with the million calorie meal plan?"

"WHAT?!" She was switching gears on him so fast he almost couldn't keep up. "You needed it." _She was a twig for Christ's sakes_.

She stuttered from the fury he ignited in her. "Look-look. Just LOOK at me!" She turned around and pushed her ass out to draw his attention to it, fisting her shorts at her sides to hike the material up and taut against her bottom. "I'M FUCKING FAT!"

_Flaunting that luscious ass in my face? Is she __**INSANE**_? The pain of his erection doubled at the sight she presented him with. "You're fucking perfect," he all but whispered. She really had no idea just how beautiful she was.

She spun around to continue her rant, not even hearing him. "That's only one of the ways in which you ruined me, tortured me. Why DID you stop torturing me anyways? Did you run out of ideas? Is that it?" He looked stunned by her words and it pleased her, maybe she was getting somewhere now. "Why not punish me now, hmm? How about the invisible chair, which, by-the-way will be holding up my FAT ASS!"

He couldn't speak, couldn't get a word in edgewise she was flinging questions at him so fast.

"Or how about we go at it with the pugils again? Oh. That's right," she pointed a finger at herself, then him. "That was me... kicking YOUR ass."

"Are you finished?" That definitely struck a nerve. Not only was he horny now, but she'd gone and made him furious on top of it.

"Not by a mile, Sergeant." She pulled the rubber band from her ponytail and pranced up to him.

_What is she doing_? He panicked. _What the hell is she doing_? He tried melting into the desk in an effort to get away from her as she invaded his personal space.

"Do I smell too PRETTY, Sergeant Moon?" she whipped her hair over her shoulder, commercial style.

_God does she ever_. His cock twitched in response as her scent permeated the air around him.

"Well? Do I? Do I need a mud bath? Better yet, why don't you take me outside RIGHT now, get in the pit with me and give me a throw down?"

"You sure that's what you want me to do?" _Oh GOD_! If she said yes he'd be more than happy to throw her over his shoulder and carry her there right now.

She ignored his question but remained where she stood. "Suddenly my humiliation isn't worth your time anymore?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't act stupid with me," she all but spat at him. "You know EXACTLY what I'm referring to."

"No, I really don't." He moved sideways along the edge of the desk, desperate to put some distance between them, thanking God when she stayed put and merely turned to face him.

"Remember the time you took it upon yourself to read my letter; the one where Gavin wrote about fucking me?" That was so very personal to violate her privacy like that and the need to exact revenge on him made her decide to taunt him in the cruelest of ways.

She waited until he nodded then gave him a sexy smile.

"So tell me, Sergeant," she dropped her voice to a husky, suggestive whisper. "Did you like what you read?"

A series of possible ways to respond to that flashed through his mind. He definitely hadn't liked reading about another man fucking her but he'd be damned if he'd give her the satisfaction of knowing it, so he put on the air of indifference.

"Felt sorry for you, actually. But," he sighed. "That's what you deserve for letting a boy attempt to take care of a man's job." He had to keep from chuckling over his victory at her look of outrage and felt sure this was the end of this particular battle. **Wrong****!**

"A man's job?" _Arghhh_. "And I suppose you think _you're_ a man?" She was beyond mad but well over being embarrassed by him anymore, especially when she noticed he had a hard-on after her little question. "If you COULD find a woman that would LET you do your job," she nodded at his crotch, "Maybe you wouldn't be standing at 'attention'."

He opened his mouth but nothing came out. She did it again, stunned him stupid and mute.

"That's right you heard me." Sure, it was a cheap shot, but she wasn't ashamed to take it. Still, she wouldn't let up on him. "You think you're so _bad_, you're such a man... the 'stud' Drill Sergeant. HAH! You can't even take a girl to the store to buy tampons without wanting to keep it a secret. Such a man that..."

He stood there and stared, unable to tear his eyes away from the vision she created. Her words stung, every last one of them as she waved her hands about and flung insult after insult at him. His eyes went to her mouth, watching those two sweet lips moving but soon blocked out what she had to say. She was pushing him closer and closer and she had no idea. He felt millimeters away from his breaking point when he focused his attention on those sultry russet eyes of hers burning with anger for him, long gorgeous hair in radiant disarray about her shoulders with a softness he knew first hand was there. His lust was mounting and he was afraid he was getting past the point of being able to control it if she didn't leave **now**.

"... the problem lies with you, Sergeant Moon?"

"Leave it alone, Dawson." He growled at her in warning even though he hadn't heard what she'd said.

"If it's not you then it must be me." He had a deadly gleam in his eye, trying to intimidate her. Well, she was no longer afraid of him.

"Erghhhh," his voice rumbled deeply. "It's you alright."

"What do you want from me?" Her voice was steadily getting louder.

"You wanna know what I want?" _Better be careful, girl_.

"Yeah, I really do."

"You're sure? You really wanna know what I want?" he asked in a daring voice. The ground she was treading on was more dangerous than she could **ever** imagine as he slowly stepped towards her, closing the distance between them.

"I asked didn't I?" She continued to antagonize him even as she backed up against his slow, yet steady advance. "What the FUCK. DO. YOU. WANT?" she screamed at the top of her lungs as her back hit the wall.

His hand slammed the door shut loudly right next to her head, the rush of air it created making her hair fly into her face. "WHAT I WANT," he paused to look in her eyes after screaming.

"WHAT?! TELL ME!"

He'd had enough.

"You," he whispered.

Her mouth was suddenly crushed beneath his, shocking her eyes wide open. She couldn't react, didn't know **how** to react. He bruised her lips as he fought his way inside her mouth, his warm tongue sweeping across hers while he pressed her body into the wall. Feeling the evidence of his arousal as he ground it against her belly sent a flare of unsuspecting need to wash through her along with understanding. _Oh, God_. It all made sense now! Her mind spun with every memory she had of him over the last nine weeks then to everything he'd said during their heated argument. It was so clear, so obvious, how in the world had she missed it? There was definitely no thinking left to be done on the issue. Between the feel of his lean, muscular body and the intoxicating taste of his lips devouring hers, she couldn't deny her own attraction to him. She'd come here for answers, but the delicious sensation that pooled in her underwear was proof enough what she wanted from him now.

Her lips were ripe, sweet, felt so good moving against his... he had to have more. Invading her mouth, tasting her tongue for the first time instantly had him seeking any friction he could get from her body to ease the ache between his legs. He felt her hands suddenly grab his head, her tongue play against his demanding more, making him groan as he realized she wanted him, too. His hand slid down the door and clicked both locks into place. Nothing was going to interrupt him from having her. His hands found her hips, pulling her harshly into a sudden thrust, making her whimper in need. _Fuck yeah, she wants this_.

They broke for air just when she thought she'd pass out. He leaned his forehead against hers, his hips still pumping against her slowly as his hands wandered down to grip her bottom.

"I'm not gonna stop, Dawson, I can't. You've pushed me too far." She nodded to acknowledge him and wound her slender arms around his neck, trying to draw him in for another kiss but he pulled away, denying her.

"Please," she begged.

"Please what?" He knew what she wanted but he needed to hear it. Cupping her bottom, he lifted her off the ground, pleased when she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and rubbed her heated center against him, her head falling back as she gasped. "Tell me," he demanded.

"Ohhh. I-I need..." Why was he doing this to her? Wasn't it obvious? Could she be any clearer on the issue now that he had her writhing against him like a cat in heat?

"Say it... please?"

His voice held the slightest hint of desperation to it though he phrased it more like a command than a question. First he'd driven her insane with his cruelty and now he was driving her insane with the need to feel him inside her. She very gently placed her right hand to the back of his head and rested the left on his shoulder. Long seconds passed as she studied him and this moment; the feel of his steely chest as it heaved against hers, making her nipples long to be sucked between those incredible lips, those intense eyes no longer pinning her with malice but cradling hers with unfulfilled need, the feel of his length against her sensitive clit, all of it making her want to whisper the words that would take them there.

"Fuck me, Austin."

There was no sweeter song to be heard than that which fell from her lips with those three simple words. He kissed her passionately, growling deep from within his throat. _She's mine_.

She clung to him as he pulled her away from the wall, circling the room to find something else to press her up against, bumping into the far wall sent pictures smashing to the floor with the sound of broken glass. He stumbled back as she hitched her body higher on his, seeking to lock her ankles together, holding him hostage with her long, shapely legs. He maneuvered his grip firmly around her waist, holding her still so he could run his palm along the smooth expanse of her thigh, higher and higher.

_**BANG!**_

The clatter of aluminum and plastic filled the room along with lust filled moans. Her back hit the window, ripping the flimsy blinds off its hinges to go crashing by their feet.

"Angh!," she cried out before her head slumped to rest against his shoulder. His hand found its way up her shorts and inside her panties. His fingers swirled around her opening, teasing, probing, drawing her moisture out to coat her swollen lips.

"FUCK, baby," he panted as he stared out the window, fully aware that if anyone were to walk by they would know without a shadow of a doubt what he was doing to her. It turned him on, made him press her even harder against the glass. The entire world could find out and he still wouldn't care, all he could concentrate on was the silky feel of her slick heat on his fingers as he curled two inside her. "Oh yes…" She was more than ready for him.

She yelped in surprise when he unexpectedly pulled his fingers away from her needy center. Gripping her tightly about the waist with both hands, he spun them around and crossed the room in three swift strides towards the desk. His fingers dug painfully into her skin as he let go of her with one hand, using it to clear the desk in one broad sweep, sending everything to scatter across the floor, the sound of ceramic mugs shattering into a thousand pieces the moment they met with the hard tile.

Laying her down, he reached behind his back to break the hold her legs had on his waist and spread her thighs wide. God, she was a sight. Her hair fanned out underneath her, her body heaving with need, her lips swollen with his kisses. He placed a palm to her stomach and slid her shirt up, exposing her breasts to his hungry gaze.

"Beautiful," he whispered. He bent over and pulled one rosy peak into his mouth while caressing the neglected breast, measuring its weight in his hand. "Mmmmm, mmph." He swirled his tongue around the delicate bud, over and over as she clasped her hands to his head, holding him to her, encouraging him to suckle her pert mound. "You're perfect," he murmured. "Every inch of you." Her hips began wiggling underneath him; her tiny hands moving down his sides to yank and pull the shirt from his pants. He heard his belt coming unclasped and knew her desperation matched his own. He couldn't deny himself any longer.

_My GOD_, he was doing such amazing, blissful things with his tongue. She writhed beneath him, straining for more contact; her fingers worked his shirt, his belt buckle, any barrier that stood between them. She was rapidly losing herself in his scent, his strength, the dizzying sensations he produced as he lapped at her breast's... until it was gone, replaced by a cold rush of air, making her cry in outrage at the loss of his warm mouth. She opened her eyes and shuddered when he ordered her in a deep, raspy voice.

"Take your clothes off." He watched her obey without hesitation as he reached for the wallet in his back pocket.

She hurriedly drew her knees up to shed her shorts and underwear, throwing them heedlessly to the ground alongside her shirt.

With the condom in place, he kept himself busy while waiting for her. He could scarcely believe this was happening. This strong, feisty spitfire of a girl who'd occupied his fantasies for weeks now was taking her clothes off, preparing herself to let him have her. Even if it were only this once, it was a dream come true.

The erotic sight of the man she was about to allow inside her body made her gasp in awe. With his eyes closed and head rolled back, he stood proudly between her thighs, unashamedly stroking himself with one hand while the other sought purchase on the corner of the desk, waiting for her. _He's huge_! The realization of what was about to take place hit her right before it happened.

Opening his eyes, seeing her naked and spread wide before him ready, waiting, wanting, willing to sate his lust had him reaching under her waist to grasp her firmly around the hips.

She felt him jerk her violently forward until her ass hung dangerously off the desk. Still holding his cock in one hand she held her breath as he placed the head against her opening and gripped the desk's edge tightly under her fingers. She knew their coupling wasn't going to be gentle, still, she hadn't braced herself nearly enough for just how rough this ride would be.

"AHHHH!" She screamed as he pulled her sharply onto his cock, burying himself completely. He was so hard and thick, filling her up, stretching her in every direction imaginable. All she could do was lay there as he held onto her hips and set a brutal pace, pounding into her while his dog tags swung forward then back to rattle against his chest with each thrust.

"Ally!" he snarled. She felt like heaven. What he wouldn't have given to start things off slow but it wasn't meant to be. Feeling her scorching heat surround him, he reveled in her tightness as he pumped in and out of her slick channel.

She was torn between watching his razor sharp hips flexing into her or just shut her eyes and enjoy the glorious feel of him. Choosing to watch, she mapped out his every feature as it moved. His shoulders, biceps, forearms, every corded muscle in his body from his square jaw clenching around gritted teeth to the rippling six pack of his perfect abs twisting beneath flawless tanned skin sent her spiraling in search of release.

The erotic sight of his cock being swallowed by her body far exceeded any fantasy he could have possibly envisioned. Suddenly, he felt her walls flutter around him and knew he couldn't let her cum without following right behind her... and he most definitely didn't want this to end yet. He ceased all movement to haul her up from underneath her shoulders.

"Hang onto me, baby." Holding her close, he stood up straight, bringing her with him. Unwilling to pull out of her snug passage for even a moment, he swiftly moved to the chair and sat down, growling as her weight bore down on his length, drawing him deeper inside her welcoming heat. "Fuck…. So hot and tight. So wet." He was beside himself with pleasure when she automatically began riding him, her walls massaging his shaft within her exquisite depths as he gripped her luscious bottom firmly in each hand, aiding her by raising and lowering her over the entire length of his manhood. Again and again, he lifted her tiny figure up until the head of his shaft threatened to pop out then brought her slamming back down, filling her, hearing her wet pussy make the sweetest sucking noises as it met with the base of his cock.

"Been fantasizing about this forever." She made a stunning sight with her hands gripping his shoulders, her gorgeous form leaning away from him at an angle, pretty little tits bouncing. "You feel even better than, mmmm, I thought you would." Unable to resist the tantalizing sway of her breasts, he leaned forward to capture one diamond hard peak between his lips. Gliding his hands up her slender waist he pulled her down, held her flush to rock her hips back and forth over his cock in a sawing motion, trying to drive her need higher.

"OHHHH!" It was a mind numbing sensation of which she'd never experienced before as he suckled her nipple, striking the sensitive bundle of nerves with precision deep inside her... over and over. Gavin had never done anything to her quite like this. As if reading her mind, he released her breast and spoke of her ex.

"Did your precious Gavin ever make you feel this good?" He was determined to show her what it was like to have a real man. "Tell me!" He snarled.

"N-no."

"No what, Ally?"

He unexpectedly lifted her up then brought her down swift and hard, causing her to cry out. Clasping one arm about her waist, the other gripped her back, his fingertips dug into the top of her shoulder to draw her flush against his chest, encouraging her to start riding him again.

"No. No, he's, ohhhhh, never made me, unghh... feel like this."

"Good girl." He latched onto her mouth, pleased when her hand flew up to grab the back of his head. She opened up for him, allowing his tongue inside to duel with hers.

He moaned into her mouth and she could taste every tremor in his voice as the rich vibration dripped down her throat and straight to her core to ache and pulse with need. His lips, hands, hips, every part of his body molded so perfectly to hers... it had to be fate and not chance they were having this dance.

He really hated having to wear a condom right now. She was twitching madly around his manhood, driving him insane with the desire to coat her trembling passage with his ecstasy. Somehow he managed to regain control of himself and slowed his movements considerably in order to stave off her impending release as well as his own.

"DON'T. Don't, stop. Please."

He reached a hand between them and pressed a thumb to her clit, rubbing it hard in slow circles.

"YES! Oh God, yes."

"Such a good girl." He kissed her lips, chin, cheek and down the long column of her throat.

He picked up the pace again, but not nearly as fast as she wished he would. _How, why, __**what**_ was he doing to her? She came here a determined woman with a sole purpose, a mission, had even succeeded in getting the upper hand on him, and now? He'd reduced her to a quivering mass of need, willing to do or say whatever he wanted just so he'd keep moving. He'd placed her under his command again, barking out orders fueled by lust and she was executing them without question. She hated herself for it, hated him for it, but damned if she wasn't enjoying every erotic second of it... of him.

She felt him throbbing inside her, every rapid beat of his heart that filtered from his chest to hers shot straight down to resonate itself through his shaft and against her walls.

Her need for release became unbearable, like torture and had her begging him with her eyes.

This magnificent woman who'd tormented his every waking thought was now shuddering around him, her greedy little pussy gripping him tighter and tighter with every passing moment. Only he could give her what she needed right now and knowing that filled him with pride. Only one thing could possibly be more gratifying than knowing this and it was to make sure **she** understood that; understood that he, and **only** he, was responsible for her pleasure.

"That's my girl." He increased the speed of his thrusts and moved in for a heated kiss.

_My girl_? Did he really think she belonged to him? She certainly did right now... and she knew it. His kiss was amazing, drawing her deeper under his spell. The passion he poured into her mouth, into every stabbing thrust between her thighs set off the stirrings of an orgasm to wind swiftly through her womb and coil around his cock.

"Look at me, baby." He was desperate to see the pleasure she was experiencing. Threading his fingers into the silk of her hair, he rubbed her cheek gently with his thumb, coaxing her eyes to look at him. _Beautiful_. As they fluttered open he was filled with a deep sense of awe and wonder when he beheld the heavenly vision she created with those twin pools glazed over with such passion that she stared sightlessly back at him, lost in her release... in him. Her hips took on a beat of their own; set to the music of the sweet kittenish mewls that escaped her throat.

He had to shake himself sober from the drunkenness of both their passions.

"That's it, fuck yourself on my cock, cum for me, baby," he persuaded her and she let it all go with a sharp cry as he held her tight in his arms, head buried in her neck, pumping his hips to keep her cumming. "Beautiful, baby, perfect baby, yes." He murmured nonsense against her skin over and over about how good she felt, how pleased he was with her.

The intensity of her orgasm shocked her as he carried her body to indescribable heights. He surrounded her in every way imaginable, his scent, his warm embrace, the steady rhythm he rocked her body with, inside and out he made her feel like a woman, sending her head-long into a realm of pleasure she never imagined possible.

She hated being told what to do, but this was decidedly the finest position she could ever hope to find herself in... completely under his authority. He used that authority over her body to dominate her senses, draw out her pleasure as she continued to spasm around him, lost to all but the bliss coursing through her body. She held his head against her neck and took in the pretty words of praise he lavished her with. Had he cum yet? She didn't think so and was about to ask when he drew back to stare her down with raw, primal need emanating from his eyes to let her know.

"My turn."

He barely survived not spilling his load she looked and felt so good when she came. Grabbing her waist, he pulled her off his body then stood. Spinning her around, he pushed her over the desk with a single hand to her back, presenting her ass to his hungry gaze. She looked gorgeous in this submissive position and he knew he wasn't going to last long. Guiding his cock back to her opening, he growled as he sheathed himself inside her wet, warm depths again.

"Ahhh. W-what are you... you, OH!"

She felt like a rag doll the way he was manhandling her. She hadn't even finished riding out the wave of ecstasy he'd created for her before she came face to face with the grainy wood of his desk, his cock piercing her from behind.

"Don't ever think you're fat, baby. You have the most beautiful ass I've ever seen, just right for..." _**Slap**_! Maybe he shouldn't have done that but he couldn't resist. A part of him wondered if he couldn't convince her to enjoy this sort of rough treatment. Then he realized he'd never have a chance to find that out and it made him take her harder than before, fucking her with everything he had.

"AHH!" she gasped from the surprising sting of his palm. Then his words registered in her head... he didn't think she was fat? He liked her like this? She'd have to think about that later, she mused, as his assault to her overheated sex took on a fierce, animalistic quality. There were three noises echoing off the walls, exciting her beyond belief; him... grunting like a wild beast as he drove into her, dog tags... jingling against his chest and the sound of his flesh slapping against hers.

He was by no means a selfish lover, in fact, if only he could have her again... _if only_... he'd show her just how **very** giving he could be. He grabbed her hair and yanked on it, ignoring her little cry of pain in order to raise her body away from the desk then soothed her by reaching around to cup her mound with his right hand and stimulate the tiny button of her womanhood, causing her to moan in pleasure.

"I'm sorry, baby. Don't wanna hurt, unghh... you. Just make you feel good,"

His hot breath floated across her ear, causing goose bumps to form everywhere on her body.

"So very... very good."

He was going to talk her into another orgasm, she was sure of it. He purred sexily against her skin, sending a shockwave of pleasure straight to her womb.

Reaching his left hand around to her chest, he grasped her right breast, using it to pull her into his thrusts.

"Cum for me one more time. I`m not gonna last. You feel too good and I've been waiting so... so fucking long." He pulled out completely to pump his length along her slick folds, teasing her a bit then with a feral growl he curved his hips upwards and penetrated her, asking her this time, "Please, Ally?"

He pressed his finger to her clit and renewed the force of his thrusts. It was his verbal plea, however, that overwhelmed her so much that she couldn't speak. She knew he wanted an answer when he pinched her nipple and she gasped for the breath needed in which to tell him, "Yes."

She unexpectedly clamped down on him, strangling his cock so hard his balls tightened right before...

"Scream for me, Ally."

"AHHHHHH!" She broke under his expert touch.

Together they came and his hips jerked as she milked the long weeks of pent up frustration from his shaft. He felt sated yet sad. She would still haunt his dreams with a craving for which he was sure no other woman could possibly satisfy.

When at last all movement ceased, he gently eased himself out of her, rolled the condom off his cock and threw it in the trash can to his left.

It was truly an awkward moment that couldn't help but be felt by both as he reached down and grabbed the camouflaged pants he never had a chance to fully divest himself of. He stood, fastening the buttons back into place as she turned to face him, her beautiful naked body still heaving from what they'd shared. He took steps towards her clothes that lay in a crumpled heap on the floor and retrieved them, standing back up to offer them to her in a silent order to redress herself, which she quickly did.

He couldn't bring himself to watch her cover herself up as he pulled himself together both emotionally and physically; his keys, duffle bag, the BDU top that lay over the back of the chair he'd just fucked her sweet body in.

She dressed as quickly as she could, unsure of what to say or expect from him. What he did next stunned her.

He readied himself, sparing one last glimpse at her as he flung his duffle bag over his shoulder. She looked like pure glass, so fragile and breakable in that moment that he couldn't stop himself from approaching her, grabbing her face to kiss her with a tenderness he hadn't felt in ages for a woman.

Brushing his mouth against hers in the sweetest of kisses, he whispered against her lips, "Goodbye, Ally," and walked out the door.

**To Be Continued….**

**oOo oOo oOo**

**Well well well… I guess Ally likes it a little rough.**

**Let me know what you thought!**

**By the way… if any of you are following One More Night… IT"S COMPLETE! CHECK IT OUT AND REVIEW FOR ME! I'm getting a complex, lol.**

**:-***


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own, nor do I profit from, the Disney Channel program 'Austin & Ally' or the characters therein. They are simply used in the following story for my own entertainment. Original story 'In The Army Now' written for the Buffy fandom by Im_bloody_english. This work belongs to her and I take no credit for the story line. Names and locations have been changed to suit the Austin & Ally fandom. No copyright infringement intended.

**oOo oOo oOo**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Sergeant McCarthy had been right. She was assigned to a MEDDAC unit and spent her first month getting settled into the **real** Army lifestyle. Just as he'd said, it was like any other job and she found herself enjoying it immensely and the post, well, aside from the arctic temperatures here at FT Crumb, New York, home of the light infantry division. Trish had been assigned to the same place and unit as herself and though they weren't roommates, they lived in the same barracks just down the hall from one another. They both worked in the same medical clinic, but were to be rotating every few weeks or so to each department. For now, Trish was working alongside the doctors during the normal duty day while Ally worked the graveyard shift in the emergency room.

Overall, life was good. Life was, well, perfect.

Right up until she heard that voice.

Only one person in the world possessed _that_ voice…

At boot camp, Austin came into her world, or rather she into his, and for weeks on end tormented her, humiliated her and even ignored her. He spent countless hours making her life a living hell and then, **then**, it only took him roughly twenty minutes to turn her world completely upside down and sideways along with the contents of his office. That was one hell of a mess he left her with that to this day she wasn't quite sure how she managed to get everything cleaned up before anyone came back. One large garbage bag and a broom took care of all that was smashed and thank God she noticed the condom in the trash can as well. All of it went into the dumpster outside the barracks and she simply hung the pictures back on the wall and reattached the blinds as best as she could.

Now, she shrank back around the corner to stay out of sight and used the convex mirror mounted near the ceiling to confirm her suspicions.

There was Austin, being helped by another soldier as he limped his way down the hallway towards the check-in window.

The four long months spent at FT Sham in Texas going to school gave Ally time to think about Austin, a little too much time. She was angry that he'd treated her like crap all because he 'had a thing' for her and couldn't handle it, angry that he left her behind with the room in shambles to clean up, angry that he left her with nothing but a kiss, angry that he just plain **left**. The only thing she blamed herself for was her own attraction to him and giving into that attraction. Like she could help it? After a while, she knew it was useless to dwell on any of it. He had an itch... an itch she was more than willing to scratch and what happened was done and over with. They both got what they wanted and were never supposed to see each other again.

Yet here he was, about ready to enter her world again and there wasn't much she could do to avoid it. This was her job, to be the first to see incoming patients, make sure their medical notes were written up before the doctor even came in to see them. There was only one other medic on duty with her tonight, her roommate Cassidy Clements. They got along well enough and so maybe she could talk Cassidy into covering for her until he was released? Well, she supposed that depended on exactly why he was here. He was limping, so that would mean X-rays were needed and if the bone was broken...

"Eeeep!" She was pulled from her thoughts by a tapping on her shoulder. She turned to see Major Prescott, the doctor on duty that night. She'd become fast friends with the quirky woman even though the stupid fraternization regulations were supposed to squash any friendliness beyond the workplace. Like very many people followed those rules anyway as long as no sexual boundaries were crossed among the officers and enlisted folks?

"Sorry, Ally. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"It's okay, I'm okay," she panted from her fright then peeked back around the corner to watch as Cassidy checked Austin in.

"Do you know him?"

It was easy to see Ally was hiding from one of the two men that had just arrived for a reason. She turned her attention to Jessie and motioned for her to walk further away before saying anything. "He was my Drill Sergeant." She watched Jessie's eyes go wide.

"The one you said made your life a living hell?" Ally nodded. "But, he doesn't have that kind of authority over you anymore. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"I'm not afraid of him," she quickly defended herself. She most definitely wasn't afraid of him. "It's just... I-I. There's a teensy bit more to the story than what I told you, but... Well..." Oh God, she didn't want to have to say she got 'drilled' by the Sergeant either.

"Look, its okay if you don't want to tell me. If he does try to give you any problems, I'll step in, okay?"

"Okay." She stood tall and thought about how ridiculous she was acting. She was a grown woman and he was a grown man. She'd gotten over what happened a while back and more than likely he had too. There was no reason for him to be discourteous towards her. It was just sex after all... of the mind-blowing, earth-shattering variety, but just sex nonetheless. Sure it would be awkward seeing him again, but if she just stuck to the business of her job then everything should be fine. He would see her professionalism and act accordingly and civil... she hoped.

**oOo oOo oOo**

His toe hurt so bad he was certain he would be told it was broken once they took an X-ray. He was supposed to be in the field right now, finishing out the last day of a three week field training exercise. Instead, some idiot decided to drop the hitch of a tactical vehicle on his foot before checking to see he had a proper hold on it.

He sat on top of one of the examination tables in the empty open bay of the examination room after getting checked in and was waiting for the doctor when his nose picked up a particular scent. A scent so familiar that at other times when he thought he'd smelled it, he would stop whatever it was he was doing and search for the source only to be met with disappointment. He learned to ignore it eventually because his nose had tricked him several times over the past few months, always filling him with hope... the hope that it was her.

He swore he was being tortured by a higher power for having behaved badly towards Ally. To finally 'have' the object of his desire and then, through the fate of government orders, never see her again? They never should have done what they did because what he feared would be the result was exactly what happened... that she still haunted his every fantasy, so much so that he hadn't slept with a another woman since her.

The scent was getting stronger but he continued to ignore it. The pain from his foot kept him focused on trying to unlace his boot as he listened to a set of footsteps approach and knew whoever was coming would want to look at his injury.

"Here, let me help with that, Sergeant." She could do this, no big deal plus she didn't want him to move anything about in the wrong way if his foot was badly broken.

Her voice startled him and when he looked up, he thought maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him. But there she was, just as, no, even **more** beautiful than he remembered. His little sex kitten dragged a stool in front of him and sat down, waiting to take his boot off for him.

"I have something else you could help me with," he replied, smirking as he raked his eyes over her body suggestively. "When you're finished with that, I mean..."

_Oh no, he didn't_! Yes, he did. He went there. The very last place she would have guessed. His arrogance really knew no bounds. He was practically undressing her with his eyes. Forget the fact he was still hot as hell and her attraction for him hadn't gone away, the fact he hadn't changed one bit irked her to no end. Well, she wasn't going to play. This was her job and she would be civil and that would be the end of it once he understood it.

"Your foot, please?" She opened her hands and waited for him.

"If that's really where you wanna start." He wasn't put off in the least she didn't take the bait. This was his girl after all, tough, strong, defiant... God, he couldn't wait to get her in bed her again, er, for the first time, actually, and he knew it wouldn't take him very long to get her there.

She refused to look up at him or even say a word. Instead, she simply took his calf in her hands, instructed him to scoot back so his foot hung off the bed and finished working the laces from his boot.

"Ahhh, oww, oww," he hissed as she slid his boot off then watched her carefully peel his sock off to look at his swollen big toe. "What's the prognosis?" He was a bit curious why she chose to remain so quiet but also how well she'd actually learned her job.

"I don't think it's broken but you'll need an X-ray to confirm that. I'm going to ask you some questions so I can fill out your chart then the doctor will come in and have a look." She took her clipboard and jotted down a few notes on her observation, asked him some standard questions then began a more thorough physical examination.

"Can you feel this?" She placed her finger on his toe and tapped on it lightly, noting he instantly winced.

"Oh yeah, I can feel it baby," he hid his pain and decided to keep goading her. There was no question in his mind that she would jump at the chance to sleep with him again and since he figured she was just being shy about it, he'd make it easy on her.

"Can you wiggle it for me?" When he didn't move it, she looked from his foot to his face to find him crudely smiling at her.

"Oh it's wiggling," he said motioning toward his own crotch.

She rolled her eyes at him then crossed her arms, waiting for him to take her seriously. It was obvious now he was trying to get a reaction out of her and she could deal with that by not responding. What bothered her was her sneaking suspicion that he might still have a thing for her and somehow, he thought she was easy pickings, that she would just jump right back in the sack with him. Well, he was wrong. Sure, they could and it would probably be amazing but she still hated him. There wasn't one thing she found attractive about his 'person' other than his looks. What they had was a one-time deal and the sooner he understood that the better.

_What's her problem? I know she wants it_. "I can give you a better demonstration if you want, Dawson. But we'll need a bit more privacy."

She gave him a bored look. "I think I'll pass." _He just doesn't know when to quit_.

He chuckled at her. "You don't know what you'd be missing."

"If it was anything similar to your last performance, I'm thinking not." It seemed being equally crude and blunt was the only way she was going to get through to him. She was generally a pretty sweet and polite person, but the urge to take him down a couple of notches was getting harder to resist because he was acting too smug right now.

"What?!" He sat up and scooted down towards her then leaned in dangerously close to her face and dropped his voice to a seductive purr, " You can't deny I`m the best you ever..."

"Is there a problem here?"

The couple whipped their heads around in the direction of the voice to see Jessie standing there with her hands on her hips. She hadn't been eavesdropping but she heard enough of the conversation as she neared the examination room to understand the exact nature of that 'teensy bit' of information Ally left out about her former Drill Sergeant. This had her upset, thinking that this creep had somehow abused his authority and made her friend sleep with him.

"There's no problem, ma'am." And there wasn't as far as Ally was concerned. She could handle Austin just fine on her own.

"Private Dawson, I need to see you for a moment."

"Yes, ma'am."

Ally got up and left a nervous looking Austin behind. She herself was now getting nervous, wondering just how much Jessie had overheard. Once they were down the hall and out of earshot, she launched a series of questions at her. Ten minutes later and Ally spilled the entire story, assuring her what happened between her and Austin was not only consensual but he wasn't even part of cadre anymore when they did finally, ahem, 'get together'.

"He's just being an ass right now. I think he thinks I want to sleep with him again." Jessie gave her a half smile as if she didn't believe her. "Which I so... will... not."

"Uh-huh." Her friend hadn't given her any of the 'details', but the blush on her face when she admitted they 'tore the office up', as she put it, suggested it was an experience she wouldn't mind repeating. "There's nothing wrong or illegal about whether you do or don't. I just thought he was harassing you."

"He is but it's nothing I can't handle." Great, Jessie didn't believe her. It didn't matter though, **she** knew it wasn't going to happen again and she could definitely handle him. "He just makes me so angry with his... cocky attitude. I just want to slap it right off his face." She was fuming now but started giggling the instant Jessie openly laughed.

"I can tell. Wellllllll, just shy of being disrespectful towards his rank, I got your back if you maybe want to... verbally slap him up a bit?"

"Really?" She brightened at this when Jessie nodded. "If he keeps this up, I just might have to."

Austin was a tad worried what Ally might be discussing with the doctor, but when she came back in with nothing but a wheelchair and a bored look on her face he relaxed.

"Get in." He just stared blankly at her, and she couldn't hide the irritation in her voice. "The doctor ordered an X-ray so, get. In."

"I can walk on my own. No thanks." No way was he going to spend any time in a wheel chair. He hopped off the bed and tried to walk but the pain from trying to place even a small amount of pressure on his injured foot had him hopping and reaching out for support.

She caught him under his arm and sighed exasperatedly at him like a child. Turning him towards the chair, she none too gently pushed him into it and smiled triumphantly at him. "Sure you can," patting him on the head, she added, "Now be a good boy." Adjusting one side of the wheelchair, she lifted his leg up until it was resting straight out in front of him.

He grumbled under his breath as she wheeled him towards the X-ray department, thinking not only was she being difficult when she **knew** what he could do for her, but now, _she's treating me like a child_. He wasn't about to give up on her though, oh no. Now that he knew she was assigned to the same post he was, he had even more reason to get her out of his fantasies and into his bed.

"Wanna see if this chair holds up as well as the last one we broke in?"

_So much for civility_. "Sorry, but I think it's illegal to take advantage of the disabled."

"Hey, I'm not disabled." _Bitch_!

"Would you prefer the term impotent?"

"Ha! Have a seat in my lap and I'll show you impotent."

Looking around to make sure no one saw, she gave him a shove and let him go wheeling down the hall, "Ooops. Sorry."

He grabbed the wheels right before the chair hit a wall after it veered left and swung it around to glare at her. "That's not funny, Dawson. I could've been hurt."

"Nice save, Sergeant Special Olympics." She pointed towards the technician who came out the door behind him. "Have fun." With a satisfied smirk on her face, she waved then turned her back on him and exaggerated the sway in her hips a bit more as if to say, 'you won't be seeing any of this'.

He had to chuckle at her fire. It was, after all, one of the things he loved most about her and seeing her purposely flaunt the gorgeous ass of hers at him like that only reaffirmed she wanted him. _Huh, she lost some weight_. Damn, looks like he'd have to find a way to pack a few more pounds back on her lovely figure.

After they finished taking pictures of his foot, the X-ray tech wheeled him back to the examination room where he laid waiting for nearly thirty minutes by himself. He tried not to stew over what was keeping Ally from coming back to see him, but instead made use of the time to figure out what he needed to do or say in order to break through her tough little facade. He didn't mind the chase, not at all actually. If she wanted to give chase to him he would enjoy it, but it was the kill he was after, especially because it was her.

He watched as Ally, the doctor and the female soldier that checked him in all came walking towards him together.

"I have some good news and some bad news, Sergeant Moon," Jessie spoke. "The good news is that you haven't broken any bones. The bad news," she hung up his X-ray and turned on the light, and pointed to the deformed image of his big toe. "Your first distal phalanx is dislocated from the metatarsal phalangeal joint and I'm going to have to put it back into place."

"My who did what, ma'am?"

"The bone of your big toe is out of joint and I'm going to have to pop it back in." She looked to Ally and Cassidy and nodded her head. "I want you each to take a side and hold him down for me."

"Wh-why do they have to hold me down?"

Ally giggled internally at his nervous expression. He had no idea.

"Trust me, Sergeant Moon. I'm not going to lie to you and say this won't hurt, but it needs to be done and then you should be fine."

The two girls took a strong hold to his forearms with one hand then leaned their weight onto his chest with their free arm. _This would be a fucking wet dream come true_, having three pretty girls pin him down to a bed if it weren't for the fact he was about to have pain inflicted... and not of the kinky variety.

"On my count of one..." Jessie began slowly and watched the girls press into her patient harder. "Two..." she took hold of his toe and ankle respectfully to get ready for the jerking motion that would reset his bone.

Ally leaned her mouth towards his ear and whispered so only he could hear, "Scream for me, Austin."

"Three."

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH. AHHHHH, FUCKING HELL!" He broke out into a cold sweat and felt as if he might pass out. The pain was beyond anything he'd ever experienced as it made his heart race and his head light.

"That should do the trick," Jessie spoke confidently. "I'll need another X-ray to confirm the bone is back in place. In the meantime, Private Dawson will you wait here until he's ready then wheel him back down?" She threw Ally a quick wink then left the room with Cassidy in tow.

Turning to Austin, she actually felt bad for him. He was deathly pale, eyes closed, panting heavily and sweating from the pain. She opened one of the steel drawers that held some medical supplies, pulled out a white cloth and proceeded to drench it under the run of cold water in the nearby sink.

Austin's eyes flew open the second he felt something cold and wet against his forehead. He looked up to see Ally dabbing the sweat from his face and head carefully with a look of genuine concern on her face. _Was that all it took to get her attention? My being in pain_? He smiled at her and spoke in a ragged breath still filled with pain. "Care to kiss me and make it better?"

_Oh, that was __**it**__!_ "You know what? I really WAS feeling sorry for you until you opened your big mouth." She chucked the rag at his chest and started walking away.

"Come on, Dawson," he pleaded. "Come back, I'm sorry." He enjoyed seeing her all fired up and mad but when she meant to actually leave him alone, he had to apologize. "Please? Stay with me?" He called her again and smiled cockily when she came walking back towards him.

She turned and glared at him. He still wore that damn smirk, but her legs carried her back regardless.

_Good, got you right where I want you_. He picked the cloth up and held it out. "Care to pick up where you left off?" She didn't take it right away. "Please?" He jutted his bottom lip out and put on his best pout.

God he was so infuriating, especially because she found his pout impossibly gorgeous. It was that stupid pout that had her snatching the rag back from him. She smacked it against his forehead to show her disapproval of his childish behavior.

"Hey, hey! Go easy, I'm in pain here." He was most definitely getting turned on over her look of irritation. He couldn't help it; she was absolutely gorgeous when she was angry, especially when it was with him.

She dabbed at his forehead and relaxed her expression, trading it out for a false one of concern. "I'm sorry. You really are in a lot of pain, aren't you?" She tried to keep the sarcasm out of her voice after an idea sprang to mind. One in which she hoped she'd get the help she needed in order to implement it.

He turned puppy eyes on her but hammed it up, "Yeah, but it feels good to have you taking care of me." He winked at her as he turned on the charm and smiled when he saw it working.

She took her time and tried to soothe him with the cloth before exclaiming, "I'm sorry, I almost forgot something." She set the rag down and looked back at him, patting his hand as she smiled. "I'll be right back."

She strolled out of the room and headed straight for Jessie who looked up in time to see her approach.

"Our patient is still in... let's say a TREMENDOUS amount of pain. In my professional opinion, I think he should have something that would provide some... immediate relief?"

Jessie understood perfectly well what direction her friend was heading in over this one. They both smiled wide at one another and spoke in unison.

"Demerol!"

"Allow me to get that order squared away for you right now."

**oOo oOo oOo**

Ally walked back in with a white lab coat on, coming towards him with a genuine smile on her pretty face. Thinking it was almost too good to be true, he regarded her with a bit of apprehension but smiled at her all the same. She reached into a nearby box and pulled out a pair of latex gloves and quickly donned them.

"Uhm, what are you doing?"

"I brought you something for the pain, Sergeant." She tried hard to keep any hint of her deception out of her voice.

"Since when does it involve latex?" Now he was nervous. She was definitely up to something, especially when she turned her back to him and started fiddling with something of which he couldn't see no matter how far he craned his neck to the side in order to catch a glimpse. When he saw a sliver size stream of liquid shoot up in the air in front of her, he panicked.

She turned around holding the syringe and watched him go pale again.

"No, uh-uh, you're not coming anywhere near me with that." He practically screamed at her in response to the size of the needle she held and crawled away from her up the bed, trying to put as much distance between them as possible. "Get away from me, you-you crazy-!"

Jessie heard the commotion, was waiting for it actually and poked her head around the corner. "Are you giving my medic a hard time, Sergeant?"

He looked up at the doctor in full panic mode. "No way is she coming anywhere near me w-with THAT!" He was scared out of his mind.

"Excuse me?" She looked at him in irritation. "She's following MY orders and you WILL hold still and do whatever she says, because believe me when I say... you don't want me to come in there and give it to you." She smiled at his increased look of panic. "Do we understand each other, Sergeant?"

"Y-yes... ma'am." _Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck_!

He watched the doctor disappear as Ally set the needle down. He closed his eyes and rolled his t-shirt over his shoulder in preparation, praying he wouldn't pass out for real this time.

_Oh my God_! It suddenly clicked into place. He had the same look, the same **pale** look on his face when the nurse was readying her for an IV those many months ago when she was in the ER during Boot Camp. He was afraid of needles. She had to stop herself from laughing. Here he was, mr. strong, **hoo-ah** type soldier and afraid of a little needle. Okay, granted it was a slightly larger gauge needle than necessary, thanks to Jessie, but still. She waited until he opened his eyes again and shook her head, "Uh-uh, on your feet, pretty boy."

"Oh, fuck me." He all but mumbled. This was a nightmare come true.

"What was that?" He replied with a grumbly 'nothing' as he stood up and faced her. "Turn around and drop 'em."

He was still panicking inside but tried his best not to let it show as he did as instructed then leaned his forearms on the bed, assuming the position.

"What's the matter, Sergeant? No witty banter?" She smiled when he growled then looked down after hearing him fiddling with his belt. _Oh my_. She forgot just how nice an ass he had. Actually, this was the first time she'd ever had a proper view of it without any clothes on. The memory of their hot encounter came back to mind and she tried to shake it off but it was difficult. He really did have the most perfect ass she'd ever had the pleasure of seeing.

He expected her to just stick him with no warning but when he felt nothing, he opened his eyes even as he clenched his muscles in preparation. There was a small mirror on the wall in front of him and he could see her face, her expression clearly... she was ogling him again, just like he'd caught her that one day back at Basic Training. Even the knowledge of the impending pain he was about to receive couldn't help him from feeling a sense of satisfaction over discovering he was right to assume she still wanted him as much as he wanted her.

She was pulled from her thoughts when she noticed him tightening his butt cheeks as well as the sheets and looked up. _Arghh_, she immediately noticed her own reflection in the mirror as well as his own. He gave her a knowing sneer, telling her he'd caught her admiring his, ahem, 'assets'.

"Enjoying the view back there, Dawson?"

She returned his smirk with one of her own. "Don't tense or it'll hurt worse." She looked down briefly in order to pinch the fleshy portion of his right buttock between her thumb and first finger, readying the needle before looking back to his reflection. "On the count of three." He closed his eyes again. "One... two..."

"ARGHH! Where the FUCKING hell did three go?" The needle sank into his flesh and he could feel the medicine fill his ass cheek like peanut butter, slow, thick and full of pain. He felt her pull the needle out and spared a glance back to the mirror in time to see her giving him that familiar saccharin smile.

She held a cotton ball to the spot and pulled out the band aid she had prepared and secured it, giving his bottom a playful smack before telling him, "You need to go back to X-ray now." She was beside herself trying to hold back her laughter at his shocked expression over her little spank. It pleased her that he didn't give her anymore hassles as he pulled up his pants and gingerly sat back down in the wheelchair, allowing her to take him back down for X-rays without a single snide remark escaping his lips.

Fifteen minutes more passed once he was back in the examination room before Ally came back in with a set of crutches and handed him some paperwork and two bottles.

"You're being assigned quarters. This is a doctor's note confining you to your home for twenty four hours, some anti-inflammatory and pain meds. You're to return to sick call on Monday at zero-seven-hundred hours for re-evaluation. Don't wear a shoe in the meantime until the swelling goes down." She held the crutches out to him once he'd pocketed the paper and medication.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Like I'm going to use those?" He nodded towards the crutches.

"It's that or the chair, your choice," she said matter-of-factly, then smiled when he scowled and snatched them away from her... at least until that sexy smirk of his returned.

_Quarters, huh_? "Hmmmm," he purred, turning on the charm. "Since I`m being ordered to stay at home, I was wondering. What time do you get off work, Dawson?"

She wasn't shocked at his suggestion since he'd proved she'd been right all along. Not only did he still have a 'thing' for her, but he thought she'd have no reservations about sleeping with him. _Silly Sergeant_. She checked her watch, noting it was 3:30 AM. "My shift doesn't end for another three and a half hours. Sorry."

"I got nothing but time, sweetheart... if you want my address?" Oh yeah, she was definitely going to be showing up the second she got off work and soon... she'd be getting off all over his cock.

"Oh, really?" She walked towards him, a seductive smile gracing her lips. He backed, or rather hopped away from her nervously as she slinked forward, hips swaying completely on purpose. Taking his hand, she held it up and ran her fingers across his palm with a light tickle. She was very pleased she was getting to him as she watched his adam's apple bob in his throat while swallowing hard.

"Mmmm, you have nice hands. Strong," she leaned in close, forcing his head back to hit the wall as her lips neared his. "Warm."

Licking her lips as if readying to kiss him, he parted his own instinctively, hoping she was indeed going to do just that.

"Capable." She punctuated the 'p' and lowered his hand between their bodies, twisting it, placing it over his groin. Oh yes, he was hard. Even though she wasn't touching it, was holding his own hand over it, it was **very** obvious. She applied pressure, forcing him to rub his palm up and down the entire length then squeezed.

"Mmmm, just as big and hard as I remember. Bet he could use some relief right now, don't you think?"

"Uh-huh." He managed to choke out. It... **he** could definitely use something right now... **her**.

Glancing side to side to make sure there was still no one around, she whispered. "There's a bathroom in the hallway, two doors down on the left."

He banged his head against the wall twice and closed his eyes. He could scarcely believe his deepest fantasy was about to come true... to be back inside her. Groaning at the mere thought, he couldn't wait to get to that bathroom, lock the door so he could fuck her good and proper.

"Sneak in there when no one is looking. I think he deserves what I'm about to propose and I really," her tongue darted out to swipe his bottom lip, "REALLY," doing it again, "Want to put these capable hands of yours to good use." Giving his cock a quick squeeze so he fully understood, as she herself almost wanted to do what he was thinking... almost. "Would you like that?"

He was panting now, nostrils flaring and jaw twitching. He hoped she would ask him to put his hands all over her gorgeous body. She leaned in close to his ear, drew his lobe inside her warm mouth to swirl her tongue over it before pulling away to answer his question for him.

"I want you to take hold of him and give yourself a dishonorable discharge." Quick as lightening, she kissed his cheek and stepped away from him, reveling at the look of shock on his face. "Have a nice day, _Sergeant_." She smiled brightly, turned on her heels and bounced out of the room, grinning widely. Hey, he said he enjoyed a good battle. What he failed to realize in this little war of theirs, where his gross underestimation of her abilities lay, was that her tactical strategy was to include 'herself' as part of the battle plan.

He stared after her retreating form; slack jawed from shock, hand still covering his throbbing manhood. _ Well fuck. Just you wait, girl_. Sure he was pissed and more than just a little horny. What really burned him the most was not that she'd left him hanging, but that he was horny for her and **only** her. The man deep down inside was disappointed with himself, too. He'd made her personal opinion of him so low that she actually took it upon herself to put him in his place... and good. He'd been nothing shy of disrespectful to her as a woman from the day they'd met, using his authority over her, using it as a weapon to drag her through the mud, using it like a club to beat her down verbally every chance he got over the weeks she'd spent in Basic Training.

Pushing his anger down in lieu of his male pride, he righted himself. "This isn't over, Dawson, not by a long shot." He wasn't sure how or even when, but now that he knew she was here on this post, knew where she worked, he would make her pay for humiliating him. So what if he'd mistreated her? There was no mistaking she enjoyed it when he fucked her... they'd both enjoyed it. Their little love-hate relationship was something he was counting on to exact his revenge.

**TBC**

**oOo oOo oOo**

**Sorry I made you guys wait, but I really felt a small wait was worth it, since this chapter picks up months later, it gave a better feel for the overall plot line. I hope you enjoyed it.**

**One or two reviewers have read the original story and are asking me to take it in a different direction from here or else they are not going to read anymore. I'm sorry to disappoint, but it is not my intention at this time to change anything. Don't hate me for it, but I happen to like this story and that was why I chose to adapt it. If this isn't what you are looking for then maybe I will have something else in my portfolio for you soon.**

**Please leave me a review letting me know what you think!**

**:-***


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own, nor do I profit from, the Disney Channel program 'Austin & Ally' or the characters therein. They are simply used in the following story for my own entertainment. Original story 'In The Army Now' written for the Buffy fandom by Im_bloody_english. This work belongs to her and I take no credit for the story line. Names and locations have been changed to suit the Austin & Ally fandom. No copyright infringement intended.

**oOo oOo oOo**

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

Eight o'clock Saturday evening found Trish in Ally and Cassidy's room; waiting for Ally to finish readying herself so they could go out for the evening.

Cassidy had been asking too many questions already, but when she **kept** asking them after Trish arrived, Ally decided to hell with it. She'd already told Major Prescott what happened with Austin and now that he was stationed here, well, she figured the truth needed to come out in case he decided to harass her at some point in the future when her friends were around. It only took a few minutes to fill them in on what happened several months ago and exactly what an ass he was to her in the ER.

"Oh-my-God, Ally. I-I mean... oh-my-God!" Trish stared at her friend in shock while Cassidy applauded her.

"So you and Sergeant Hottie from last night, huh?" Cassidy nodded in approval. "Way to go, Als."

"I can't believe... but I have to because, I... oh WOW. This is THE Sergeant Moon we're talking about?" Trish was dumbfounded, although it did explain a lot.

"I'm not saying I'm proud of it, Trish. It just, well... sort of happened."

"I just can't get over it. All that time spent being mean to you only to find out he has a crush on you."

"Oh no. There is no crush. No crushes to be had on either end. It was a heat of the moment, purely physical thing and it's NEVER going to happen again. Last night, he basically acted like it would be a privilege for me to jump back into bed with him."

"I say go for it." Cassidy encouraged her.

"Uh-uh," she shook her head. "He's arrogant, conceited, has no respect for women, antagonistic, crude and-and..."

"And you got it bad. Admit it, Als. He wouldn't be able to get under your skin and make you react like this if you didn't want him."

"Whaaaaat?" She looked from one friend to the other, both had very different expressions on their faces, but Trish's suggested she agreed with Cassidy's opinion. "Whatever. Can we go now?" Trish nodded. "You sure you don't want to come, Cass?"

"Sorry but, the NCO club?" She quirked an eyebrow. "Not my kind of place."

Indeed it wasn't. The NCO club was the government's idea of a bar which was located directly on post. The bulk of its patrons were comprised of soldiers, whether officer or enlisted and Cassidy was a wild child, a bad girl of sorts that preferred the darker, more questionable kind of bars.

She would have her fun. Just not tonight.

**oOo oOo oOo**

Ally and Trish had just made their way inside and up to the bar when a familiar face approached them.

"Hey-hey, ladies. Don't tell me you two are stationed here?"

"Sergeant McCarthy? Oh wow, how are you?" Ally was the first to greet him and he immediately gave both girls a quick hug, insisting that they call him Dez now that Boot Camp was over with so they could leave the formalities behind. "You were right, both Trish and I got assigned to the MEDDAC here."

"Ah see? I wouldn't steer you wrong. So how do you like the Army life so far?"

"Honestly? I love it!" Ally gushed. "It's sooooo different than anything I expected."

"We've only been here for about a month but the post seems really nice," Trish turned to pay the bartender for their sodas.

"Speaking of post, there's someone else stationed here that you two might remember." He was curious as to Ally's reaction once he told her because he was sure Austin was going to pass a brick once he found out she was here.

"Really? Who's that?" She tried to act curious even though she was pretty sure what his answer was going to be.

"Sergeant Moon."

"Hmm, that's nice." _And he thinks I care because_?! Taking a sip of her drink she didn't bother hiding her complete disinterest.

Exactly the kind of reaction he expected out of Ally. Trish, however, just shrugged her shoulders like 'big deal'. "Hey listen, my unit just finished a three week field exercise today and some of the guys are here to unwind. You two should come and hang out with us."

"You sure we wouldn't be interrupting any time honored, infantry beer ritual or something?" she teased. As long as Austin was on quarters he wouldn't be showing up and it might be fun to hang out with their former, loveable Drill Sergeant.

"Nah, are you kidding me?" He pointed over to his table where two other gentlemen sat. "Those are my boys' right there. I'm sure they won't mind a couple of pretty females joining us but don't worry, they wouldn't dream of getting disrespectful towards you with me around. Come on." What Dez failed to tell the girls was that Austin would be joining them soon. He still thought Austin had a thing for Ally and now that he would have to be civil to her in this new environment, well, it would make for an interesting show if nothing else.

Following him over, he quickly introduced everybody and the group of five made small talk over the next few minutes. Dez picked on the girls for drinking Diet Coke but only managed to get Trish to cave in and have a glass of beer from the pitcher he'd ordered.

Austin walked, okay limped up to the bar and ordered himself a beer. Placing his money on the counter, he picked up his glass and looked left and right in search of Dez before turning around to an unexpected sight. _Oh, ho-ho, this is just too perfect. Don't even need to chase her_. He automatically assumed Ally ran into Dez and when she found out he would be showing up tonight, decided to sit with his buddies just so she could see him again. After her little show last night... he **should** be upset but he wasn't. He deserved what she'd dished out and accepted it as par for the course because she probably didn't want to seem too easy.

Ally was laughing over a joke when her peripheral vision picked up a dark figure approaching the table. "Oh no, not again," she sighed with dread.

Dez looked over at her then in the direction of Austin and back again. "Again?"

"Uhmm, yeah, you know," she quickly covered her tracks since it was apparent he had no idea she'd seen Austin last night. "Basic Training plus Sergeant Psycho equals Ally's life a living hell, remember?" She ignored the laughter around her and watched her worst enemy approach. Wearing a tight black t-shirt and dark jeans, he was tall dark and handsome from head to swollen toe, the 'bad boy' image matched his attitude perfectly... all cock and swagger, or hobble as the case may be. The black leather jacket and smirk he sported completed the overall look and _figures_, his crutches were nowhere in sight and he'd donned a matching slipper to go with the whole 'dark' ensemble. It suddenly occurred to her this was the first time she'd ever seen him in civilian clothes and though she never considered herself one to go for the 'dangerous' type, he made it look incredibly handsome. It really was too bad to have such good looks wasted on his type.

Oh yeah, the way her eyes were fastened to him spoke volumes about how much she wanted him. "Dawson. Good to see you."

"Thrilling." She didn't bother disguising the sarcasm that laced her voice and looked away from him, hoping if she ignored him long enough he might disappear in a puff of smoke. "I think I will have a beer." She looked to Dez who chuckled then leaned in to speak low.

"Austin really is a good guy once you get to know him."

She whispered back, "I'll just take your word for it, cuz really? I don't associate with jerks."

Too bad she was already sandwiched in between De la Rosa and Dez or he would have sat down right next to her. The only seat left available, however, was opposite her. She had the sexiest little red halter top on that accentuated her breasts and oh yeah, once again it was clear from the tic-tac effect that she wasn't wearing a bra.

"Gentlemen," he nodded to his comrades and took a swig from his bottle. Seems she still preferred the chase. More than likely it was her stubborn pride and that was fine with him. A girl with her spirit was worth it, she was worth it.

Dez looked briefly between the two and shook off the awkward silence that was setting it. He sighed and smiled, taking a swig of his beer and looking to his friend. "So how's the foot man?

**oOo oOo oOo**

Over the next hour, the club filled with people and the sound of music and laughter. Austin wasn't laughing however, he was stewing over the fact Ally was ignoring him. He engaged in the friendly banter going on around him but kept glancing at her, waiting impatiently for her to either look his way or direct even the smallest of comments to him. Nothing. He received nothing from her. She treated him like he wasn't even sitting at the table.

"How about a round of shots?" Dez suggested to which everyone shouted 'here, here'. "Ally, Trish, you two game?"

"Why not." Ally beamed then looked to Trish who shook her head. "You so have to do one with me."

"I've already had a beer, Ally. I don't think..."

"If I'm doing one, you're doing one." Poor Trish looked so nervous. "Just one, pleeeeease?" The guys at the table chanted 'shot, shot, shot' until she finally caved in. Ally had a slight buzz off the two beers she herself had already drank, but it was working wonders at relaxing her. She was here to have a good time and even Austin's presence wasn't going to ruin it for her. So far her plan of paying him no attention seemed successful. The fact she could feel his eyes on her every now and then along with the invisible weight of contempt at her ploy was simply an added bonus.

Dez left the table and returned with six shots of whiskey, handing them out to everyone before declaring, "Bottoms up." Everyone downed the liquor at the same time and he focused his attention on Austin. He seemed to be sulking and there was no question in his mind the reason was because Ally was openly ignoring him. This seemed to support the notion that not only was he attracted to her, but that she just might be attracted to him as well. He hadn't known Ally on a personal level for very long, but he was a good judge of character and the tiny brunette definitely had 'character'. Personally, he thought they were perfect for each other. But the reasons for it were also the very reasons why they'd never see it. Both were strong-willed, fearless in the face of any obstacle, obstinate, equally dogmatic in their view of one another... the list could go on and on but overall, they were a lot alike and just what the other needed. Being Austin's best friend he wanted to see him happy, particularly after two failed engagements and Ally seemed to be his match, the right kind of woman to both challenge and complement him.

Ally made a face as the strong liquid burned its way down her throat. "Blahhh." She picked up a napkin, stuck her tongue out and wiped at it to get the taste off much to everyone's amusement while Dez asked who wanted another.

"What's the matter, Dawson? Too much for you?"

She looked up at Austin, who smirked while stroking the long neck of his bottled beer suggestively. He figured any attention from her, even if negative, was better than none. She scowled at him briefly then turned to answer Dez.

"I could definitely use another."

**oOo oOo oOo**

Another thirty minutes later and Trish got asked if she'd like to dance by one of Dez and Austin's friends. The normally guarded, tough, Latina shyly went out on the dance floor smiling, more than likely due to the two beers and shot of whiskey she'd consumed. Ally herself was feeling pretty good but knew it was time to stop or she'd wind up praying to the porcelain God before morning.

While watching her friend have a good time, she never noticed that Dez and his other buddy got up to go to the bar for another round of drinks until Austin spoke to her.

"Well, this is a happy coincidence... seeing you here tonight."

"I'd like to think of it more as ill-fated chance." Sighing as if bored, she spared him a sideways glance before looking away again.

"Oh," he clutched his hand over his heart. "You wound me with your words." _Such a sharp little tongue_. Speaking of her tongue, an image filled his head just then, making him wonder if she liked to suc...

"You." She pointed at him. "Talking." She moved her hand in 'chatting' fashion. "Ruining my buzz. Shoosh." She ran her fingers in a zipping motion across her lips then turned her whole body away from him.

God he loved her fire, it looked absolutely gorgeous the way it danced in her pretty brown eyes. Neither of his exes **ever** gave him a hard time quite like she was now. They were easily charmed with no need for crudity or even wooing for that matter on his part. The fact that Ally was making it difficult on him, presenting a challenge, testing his patience among other things he wasn't used to with her spiteful comments was a huge turn on rather than if she'd just fallen into his lap with little resistance. His cock was getting hard just watching her ignore him again, thinking about how satisfying it was going to be when he finally got to have her.

"Look. I can appreciate it when you were playing hard to get last night, but you really don't have to. Not with me." She was either going to give in or get angry, either way was fine with him. The sooner she was in his bed the better. "Admit it, you sat with Dez just waiting for me to show up and we both know what you want... so you can drop the act."

_You cocky bastard_. Just how vain and arrogant can one man be? Her voice belied how irritated she actually was, knowing it would do no good to let him see he was ruffling her feathers. "Number one, you're NOT supposed to be here, you're on quarters. Number two, maybe we should have sewn your lips shut in addition to giving you crutches which I see you aren't using. And number three, who's acting?" He snickered at her, further infuriating her that he found any of this amusing.

"Tsk, tsk," he shook his head, scolding her. "You're a terrible liar, sweetheart, and an even worse actress."

"You're deluded, you know that?" She might have considered, **considered** sleeping with him again if it weren't for the fact he was a complete ass. This attitude, like he was the 'it' of all that was male? So not helping his cause.

"Admit it, baby, what's really bothering you? That I made you cum so hard I know you saw stars or that I left afterward?" Sure, even he had to admit it was a rude thing to say, but if she could dish it out she'd better be able to take it as well.

She didn't think it was possible to hate him even more than she already did, but he most definitely proved her wrong. "Do you not understand? The way I treated you last night was no act. I wouldn't sleep with you if you were the last man on earth."

"You just keep tellin' yourself that. I saw right through your little performance."

She turned back to face him and leaned on the table, beckoning him with her finger to come closer. He fell right into her trap as she launched her counter-attack. "An act was what I gave you back at FT Littleton."

"If it helps you sleep at night to believe that," he gestured one hand in a wide sweep. "Then by all means." In that instant, he watched her pretty face flush red with anger... _beautiful_. "Wanna dance?"

She looked at him as if he'd sprouted a second head. "Would a vampire walk in the sun?" He acted bored as he sighed heavily.

"Come on now." He leaned closer towards her and lowered his voice. "You know you wanna dance."

"Don't think so." She shook her head and sat back to stare at nothing in particular so long as it wasn't him.

"If you're scared, say you're scared." Leaning back in his chair with his legs spread wide, he hooked a thumb through his belt loop and picked up his beer. "Promise I won't bite... unless you ask nicely." That got the attention of her lovely brown eyes back in his direction. He made a show of rubbing his crotch while darting his tongue around the rim of his bottle seductively, chuckling when she gasped with disgust at his actions.

She remembered a well-used idiom from Boot Camp and decided he might better understand her answer if it were phrased to him in military terms. She spelled the two main words in the air with her finger and emphasized them. "That would be a GO... preceded by a NO."

"Ally..." His friends were approaching the table so he clammed up. _So fucking difficult_. Though the chase was proving fun, he wondered how much longer she planned on running from him.

"Did you want to dance, Ally?"

Ally looked over at Dez's friend and then to Austin who had the nerve to narrow his eyes as if daring her to take the offer.

"I'd love too." She waited until the young man came around the table, took his outstretched hand to stand and threw a mischievous grin over her shoulder at Austin while being led to the dance floor.

_This should be interesting_, Dez thought. Even if he didn't know Austin as well as he did, one thing was certain when it came to the male species... if Austin felt the least bit possessive about some**thing** or some**one**, jealousy would surely rear its ugly head.

All Austin could do was watch her walk away as he gripped the edge of his chair with one hand and squeeze his beer in the other. Getting his first eyeful of exactly what she was wearing had his knuckles turning white as pure jealousy ripped through him. Between her tiny mini skirt and a sexy pair of tall black leather boots showing off her delectable legs, she couldn't have looked more beautiful if she'd tried.

_'I'm not pissed, will not get pissed_. His buddy had no clue who and what she was to him, so how could he get upset? _Not pissed, not pissed... fucking hell I need to __**get**__ wasted_. At that exact moment, Ally turned her back to grind against his friend while said friend looked over and gave him a thumbs up, as if trying to say he would be getting lucky tonight. Austin's grip inadvertently tightened with such force that the bottle in his hand suddenly shattered and the contents drenched the front of his jeans.

"FUCK!"

"You okay, man?" Yup, he **definitely** had a thing for Ally. He wouldn't call him on it though. Austin was a private person that picked and chose when to share his carefully guarded feelings. When and if he ever decided to talk about it, he'd be there for him, one hundred percent.

The unbidden image of Ally in bed with his comrade proved too much to handle. "I'm fine. Be right back." Mindful of his foot, he stood and carefully meandered his way through the crowded club towards the bathroom to get cleaned up. It was probably a blessing he'd made a mess of himself and had to leave, because he needed to cool down and not so much for himself as for his friend's sake. Even though said friend was a good buddy, when it came to Ally... all bets were off.

Ally came back to the table after finishing the dance and excused herself to the bathroom. When she got there, however, it was already occupied. She stood there shifting from one foot to the other she had to go so bad before finally saying to hell with it. Looking left and right, she dove quickly through the door to the men's room, locking it behind her.

"Hey!" Austin was standing inside the stall, just about to unzip his pants to relieve himself when she burst through the door. He glanced over his shoulder. "What the hell are you doing in here, Dawson?" In his anger, he must have forgotten to lock the door.

"Oh-my-God. Look, I'm sorry, but I gotta pee, so please leave." Indeed she was desperate at this point.

"Me leave?" He turned sideways and pointed a finger at his chest. "Don't think so. Number one, this is the MEN'S room. Number two, I was here first and number three... no. So if you don't mind?" He raised one brow in irritation.

"Erghhhh, just... hurry up then. It's not like I haven't seen-seen... IT before." She continued dancing around but nodded her head towards his crotch.

He rolled his eyes, stepped out of the stall and waved to it. "Be my guest, I'll use the urinal." Why he chose to be nice to her he had no idea, he was furious that she wouldn't dance with him but made a show of it with his friend instead. Sure, it might have been difficult for him with his foot, but it was a slow dance and would have been the perfect chance for him to hold her, to get to her, break down her defensive barrier.

"Oh thank God." If she didn't have to pee as bad as she did, she never would have even stayed in the bathroom with him, but nature wasn't just calling, it was banging on the door of her bladder. The stall didn't have a door on it unfortunately and as luck would have it, the urinal was on the adjacent wall. Austin smirked at her as he unzipped his jeans.

"Want me to wait till you're finished?" She looked at him confused. "So you can hold it for me?"

"I hate you."

"Feelin's mutual." He sneered at her before turning back to take care of his 'business'.

She did the best she could to keep herself concealed even though he wasn't looking **and** to 'go' as quietly as possible. Reaching for the toilet paper she groaned aloud... there was none.

"Is there a roll of toilet paper out there?"

"Yeah." He smiled to himself after spying a roll near the sink. Looks like she was stuck.

"Can you hand it to me, please?" she asked irritated.

"What's it worth to you?"

"Don't play around, Austin," she punctuated his name with venom in her voice. "Just give it to me."

"That's what I've been trying to do," he muttered under his breath. He grabbed the roll off the top of the paper towel dispenser and walked over to the stall. "Here." He held the roll out to her, chuckling when she snatched it from him then stepped away to wash his hands.

She came out of the stall just as he was drying his hands off and leaned against the wall, watching her while she washed hers.

"Why are you still here?" She could see his reflection in the mirror staring back at her.

"Think you could give a guy a hand?" If he ever wanted to get on her good side, then he needed to let go of his anger and keep playing this little game of hers.

"What?"

"Walking back to the table. My foot's bothering me."

"You're the one who chose not to bring your crutches plus you made it here on your own, didn't you?"

"Come on, Dawson, have you no heart?" He gave her a pout.

"What's it worth to ya?" She teased, using his own phrase against him.

"Touché." He made a show of looking all sad and dejected, turned to open the door and exaggerating his limp for good measure. When she called after him he couldn't contain the smile that his little plan worked to get close to her.

"Austin... wait." She quickly dried her hands off and went over to hold the door for him. "I don't want to have to pick you up if you fall on your ass so... I'll help."

Out in the hallway, he raised his left arm so she could get underneath his jacket and drag it across her shoulders in order to support him. Whether it was that stupid, sexy pout of his or the fact he could potentially fall without his crutches, she felt like she'd just been conned. He leaned his hard, muscular body into her side with every step they took, causing an involuntary shudder to run through her at the unbidden memory of what his naked body against hers had felt like when he took her over the desk and... _Can't go there, do not go there_, she sing-songed in her head, _just get to the table and get away from him_.

They arrived at the table to find everyone laughing hysterically over something. Much to Austin's delight, there were only two available seats for them to sit in... right next to one another. Ally pulled out a chair for him then suddenly stood ramrod straight, her eyes wide with shock.

"You alright, Ally?" Trish asked.

"Huh? Y-yes, I thought I'd forgotten my purse in the bathroom but I see I left it here." She was caught off guard when Austin dropped his arm from around her shoulders and gave her bottom a playful squeeze. Her first instinct was to turn around and slap him, but she didn't want to cause a scene.

"Oh." The group quickly fell back into telling funny stories about experiences they'd had while at work or in the field.

She shot daggers at him with her eyes then turned her attention to the group with her nose in the air. Well, she couldn't ignore him, not anymore. He was going to take full advantage of the fact she sat next to him to get her riled up, especially since there was nothing she could do about it.

"Whatcha got, ladies?" Dez looked from Trish to Ally. "Come on, you two work in a medical clinic so you must have a good story or two to tell."

Ally looked at Austin with an evil grin then back to Dez. "Well, there WAS this guy who came into the ER recently and IIIII," she squealed in a high pitched voice. "Don't think that story is really worth telling." Austin grabbed her knee under the table and squeezed, forcing her to look at him. He had a stern expression about him that clearly stated 'don't you dare'. Once she clammed up, he traded out that look for a seductive smile as his hand slowly began sliding up her thigh. Dez asked Trish if she too worked in the ER, bringing everyone's attention to the Latina who shook her head 'no'. Using the temporary distraction to lower her hand to his wandering one, she grabbed hold of his middle finger and bent it backwards until he removed his hand from her leg. "We really haven't been working there long enough to have anything funny happen yet."

Austin hadn't expected her to let him cop a feel but smirked all the same as he pulled his hand away. Leaning back in his chair, he spread his legs wide, pressed his thigh flush to hers and flung his arm over the back of her chair. Naturally she inched away from the contact and sat forward to lean on the table, but every time she moved her leg, he spread his a bit wider in order to touch her again.

Feeling quite tipsy, Trish interjected, "Oh-oh, I've got one. Ally, remember the time Austin took you to the store in the middle of the night to buy tampons?"

There was a long, palpable pause until everyone at the table, except for Austin, burst into laughter. His eyes bulged from their sockets as he looked at Trish who visibly cringed from him, saying she was sorry.

"You CAN'T leave it there." Dez chuckled at Trish then turned to Ally. "Well? Go on, tell us."

Ally sat back in her chair, accidentally leaning against Austin's arm. She continued to giggle even as he growled low at her in warning and wound his fingers around her shoulder to squeeze. He didn't care who saw it, all he could think about was his own embarrassment.

"It's just like Trish said. He had to drive me to the store in the middle of the night."

"I can't believe you went in and bought her tampons," one of the guys exclaimed.

"I fucking didn't!" he cried. "I handed her the money, she went in and got them herself." This was not happening to him. He told Ally not to tell anyone, oh, she would pay for this... somehow.

"Awwww, poor Austey. Acting all grumbly and embarrassed are we? It was a long time ago." Ally taunted him.

Dez checked his watch, "Shit. Speaking of time, if I don't get home soon, Kate's gonna be pissed."

"We better head out, too." If Dez was leaving then she and Trish needed to leave. No way was she going to keep hanging out here with two guys she'd just met and most definitely not with Austin. When Dez stood, she reached for her keys on the table only to have Austin place his hand over hers.

"Dawson, neither you nor Rosa is in any condition to drive."

"He's right, Ally. The barracks are close by, but we can't take a chance. Let's call a cab."

Ally rolled her eyes at her friend and grabbed her keys out from under Austin's grip. "Okay."

"I can give you a lift." The gentleman she'd danced with earlier offered but before Ally could answer, Austin cut her off.

"Don't worry man, I got it."

"Uhmm, okay. Well in that case I'm out. It was nice to meet you Ally, Trish. I hope to see you again, maybe next weekend? Same time, same place?"

"It's possible, but I'll have to check my schedule first." Knowing Austin was watching her, she flashed the man a flirtatious smile. After her experience with Gavin, she preferred her freedom over being in a relationship, but Austin didn't need to know that. The chance to tease him was hard to resist and maybe, just maybe, if he thought she was interested in someone else he might leave her alone.

**oOo oOo oOo**

Ally wasn't sure how it happened, but somehow she wound up sitting right next to Austin in the front seat with Trish on the other side of the pick-up's bench seat. As soon as he pulled into the parking lot where they lived, he announced he would see them to their rooms. After Trish stepped out of the car, Ally turned to inform him.

"That's not necessary. Besides, I am so not helping you walk anymore."

"No worries." He reached an arm behind her into the backseat. "Got my crutches right here." He smiled as she ducked out of his way and got out of the car.

Halfway to the door, Trish announced she had to take off ahead of them. "I'm sorry, you guys, but I really need to get to the bathroom. I had a good time tonight, Austin. Thanks for the ride."

"But, w-wait, what... SHIT!" She stopped and turned on Austin with all her anger. "Yes, thanks EVER so much for the ride but you can drop the chivalry crap now and go back to your car." He feigned innocence.

"I just wanna see you safely to your room."

"Are you kidding me? There is no way you're coming anywhere NEAR my room. You're not a gentleman so stop pretending to be one. It's not going to get you anywhere with me."

"I fucking can be if you'd get off your high-horse long enough to let me." He was going to give her a chance to come home with **him**. He **knew** she wanted to, so why was she being such a bitch?

"You know what... goodbye, Austin." She walked away. She'd had enough and now that they were alone, she could say and do whatever she wanted and what she wanted was to put as much distance between them as possible.

"Dawson," he yelled out to her. "Damnit, I'm talking to you, come back!"

"Go home, Austin." She replied without ever turning around.

"Dawson!" He tried one more time and started moving forward, but with crutches and a bum toe, there was no way he'd catch up to her. She walked off, left him, dismissed him as if she outranked him and all he could do was watch. Watch and fume over the fact he had nothing but his hand to keep him company tonight.

**oOo oOo oOo**

_-Two and a half weeks later-_

Austin found it incredibly hard to stay away from either the MEDDAC's barracks or the clinic itself now that he knew where Ally lived and worked, but what choice did he have? He certainly wasn't going to stalk her, but with each passing day he was becoming increasingly anxious to see her again. She'd become his obsession, plaguing his waking thoughts and fantasies in a way that no amount of porn and self-abuse to his manhood could alleviate. He **knew** she wanted him and no amount of barbed comments or lame attempts at lying about their one time together, that it wasn't as good for her as it was for him was going to convince him otherwise. She was **ther**e... **with** him, he'd made sure of that so what was her problem? Just shy of tying her down, which was also a delicious thought, if he could just get her into his bed... just one more time, he would make sure she'd **never** want to leave.

It was a late Saturday afternoon as he sat on the couch in his tiny apartment, staring blankly at the TV while these thoughts ran through his head. Was there a way he could conveniently place himself in her path without making it obvious? Should he try some other method of verbal persuasion with her when they next spoke? _ERGHH_! What did she want from him? If he knew, if only she'd tell him then it was as good as done. Anything to end the sexual frustration he faced every day. Maybe he should set something up, some kind of ambush. Was that what she wanted? To be cornered and kissed breathless? God knows he wouldn't mind. He definitely preferred playing the dominant role when it came to sex and knew she hadn't minded one bit being made submissive to his talents. _ARGHH_! Whatever she wanted, whatever it took, she **would** be his again, and again, and again, and...

_Ring... ring..._

Picking the phone up, he never would have guessed that the person on the other end would be Jace, who called about getting together for a drink in about a week after he arrived at FT Crumb. He was being assigned to none other than Ally's unit and would be working at the clinic. With Jace working at the clinic, he just might be afforded more opportunities to 'accidentally' run into Ally every now and then. Yes, it seemed things were looking up.

**oOo oOo oOo**

_-Three weeks later-_

Now back to working days, Ally left the ER around noon to go to lunch. Trish and Cassidy were still busy at the moment and couldn't leave until later, so she drove herself down the food court inside the mini-like mall right on post. Grabbing some food, she settled down at a small table, pulled out the current novel she was into and read in between bites... until a sudden noise made her jump.

"Didn't mean to scare you, Dawson." Austin smiled at the pretty scowl she immediately threw him after he slammed his tray down on her table.

Ever since Jace told him that Ally sometimes liked to come here for lunch, he'd shown up every day, just watching and waiting for her. Yes, he'd gone to have drinks with Jace, and felt a tad guilty for not being completely honest with him about the reasons behind wanting to know more about Ally. All he said was that he felt bad about how he'd treated her and hoped that one day he might apologize to her if he 'just happened' to run into her. Jace suggested he just show up at the clinic but he shot down the idea and said it wasn't appropriate to disturb her while she was working.

"Why are you sitting with me when there are plenty of other tables available?" she asked exasperatedly. This man certainly had a way of ruining a perfectly good day.

"Wanted to sit with the prettiest girl here." _Kill her with kindness_. It was certainly worth a shot, right? Something had to bring her around to his way of thinking so they could move past, well, 'the past' and back into bed.

"Whatever. Just don't talk to me." Instinct told her he wasn't going to go away and if she tried to sit somewhere else, he'd probably follow her.

"Is that all you're going to eat?" He watched her take a small bite of the chicken salad in front of her.

She looked up at him and spoke sternly. "I SAID... don't talk to me." She brought her book level with her face, effectively blocking him from seeing her. _Take a hint_.

"You need more than rabbit food before you lose any more weight."

"What part of don't talk to me do you not understand?" She still held her book in place. He was trying to engage her in conversation and she wasn't going to let him con her into it.

He took half of the foot long sub from his plate and placed it on her tray. "Here."

She peered around her book and became enraged when she saw what he'd done. Slamming her book down on the table, she picked the sub off her plate and all but threw it back on his tray. "We are NOT in Basic Training anymore so keep your fucking food on your own plate."

He questioned how wrong it was that as soon as she got angry, his cock began to swell within his pants. Instead of coming back at her with the usual snide remark, he did his best to remain calm and catered to the feminine side of her that might swoon over his concern for her well being.

She stabbed at her salad, crunching down on the bite while fixing him with an icy stare.

"Just thought you looked better, healthier when you had more, uhmm... junk in your trunk as Dez would put it."

She rolled her eyes. "First of all, I haven't lost that much weight since Basic. I used to weigh ninety five pounds until you packed thirty on me and I currently weigh a hundred and eight. I don't need you to worry about my weight, what I need you to do is to go away and leave me alone."

His jaw twitched in response to her snobbery. This was not supposed to happen. She was **supposed** to take his comment at face value and be nice back to him, not act like he was beneath her.

For the next ten minutes there was nothing but silence as he kept his eyes trained on her. She wouldn't talk to him, look at him or even acknowledge he was there. As the minutes wore on he became more desperate.

"What's it gonna take with you?" Maybe she wouldn't tell him unless he asked and at this point, he'd had enough.

"Excuse me? What are you talking about?" She set her book down and waited for his answer while tapping her fingers on the table-top impatiently.

"What do I have to do?" He made sure he phrased it like an honest question, keeping any sign of his own irritation out of it while shrugging his shoulders.

"And again with the what are you talking about, because if you're implying what I THINK you are... it's never going to happen... again."

"How about a kiss?" He loved the taste of her kisses and knew if he could have but one, that one would surely turn into two then three and from there escalate into more until she inevitably fell freely into his bed.

"Are you MAD?! So NOT going to happen." The nerve, _as if_.

"Just a kiss. An innocent kiss."

"There is nothing remotely innocent about you," she accused.

"One kiss. That's all I ask."

"No."

"Please?" He pouted. "Tell me. What'll it cost to let me kiss you?"

"No."

"Come on," he deepened his pout.

"No." Stupid sexy pout. She couldn't allow herself to fall for it, nope.

"Are you scared?"

"NO!" _Give up already_!

"I think you're scared of me."

"I so am not," she cried indignantly. How dare he. He **knew** she wasn't scared of him or those _amazing kisses and oh-GOD, don't go there, Ally_.

"Yes, you are. You're afraid if I kiss you, you're gonna want me again." He quirked an eyebrow at her.

"I stopped being scared of you a long time ago AND... you're wrong."

"So, if you're not scared, then tell me." He lips curled into a sly smile. "What's it gonna take?" Perhaps using her anger against her would get him what he wanted. She was the type of girl that wouldn't back down and he loved her for it.

The man was not only impossible but insane as well. Her mind quickly searched for an answer, anything at all, something she was sure he would **never** do.

"You want to give me a kiss?" He nodded. "Hmmmm, and I can name... any price I want?"

"Any price." He spoke seductively. _Finally_. He was finally being given the break he needed.

"Let's see." She reached across the table as an idea sprang to mind. She opened the second half of his sub and pulled the mayonnaise covered slice of cheese from it and held it up.

_Oh bloody hell, she's not really going to_... Yup, she smiled brightly and allowed it to drop on the floor.

"Eat it." He'll never do it, not in a million... _oh no_!

As far as he was concerned, the promise of a kiss was worth licking the bottom of her size six combat boot. He smiled at her, bent over to pick the slimy yellow substance up and promptly stuffed it in his mouth, chewing away while trying to smile at the same time.

_Ewwwwwwwwww, he __**actually**__ did it. I am so screwed_!

"I believe you owe me a kiss now, Dawson. Not gonna hold out on me are you?"

"Ahhhh, ah-ah..." She sighed in defeat. "Fine. One kiss and then you go your way and I'll go mine." He leaned across the table, making as if to kiss her now until she effectively stopped him by holding up her hand.

"We're in uniform. No PDA, remember?" He looked at her confused. "Public Display of Affection? Government regulation clearly states no PDA while in uniform?" _Good_, she thought as he sat back in his chair. At least he hadn't lost his mind completely.

"Come with me right now and sit in my car then. Once we're inside, there's nothing stopping us." There was more than one way to skin a cat, and he loved the sharp claws his kitten had.

"I'm thinking not because you just ate cheese off the floor and your lips aren't coming anywhere near mine until you've brushed your teeth." Even if he was an amazing kisser, that was too much to ask.

"A deal's a deal, Dawson." His tone dropped in a threatening manner. If she didn't hold up her end of this little bargain, she would find herself up against a wall with no choice but to kiss him back.

"You're right." She nodded. "But you'll have to catch me some other time, preferably after you've cleaned up that dirty mouth of yours." Much to her surprise, he hadn't made any of his usual crude statements. She wasn't sure whether she was relieved or unnerved by it. Something wasn't right, that much she could tell and it put her self-defense on high alert.

"You're a god damned tease, you know that, Dawson?" He shook his head, disappointment overcoming his short lived victory.

"What?" she asked innocently. "I'll keep my end of the bargain, just not today."

"When can I expect to collect then?" She better give him a time.

"We work on the same post, I'm sure we'll bump into each other just like we did today." Hey, it was true.

"No," he shook his head. "If not today then I want some kind of guarantee."

"My word isn't good enough?" _Figures_. She couldn't blame him since she did have every intention of getting out of this entirely.

"Nope. I want collateral." He simply couldn't let her walk away without **something**. If he had to follow her to her car in order to obtain it then that's what he'd do. "Give me your Government ID." She'd **have** to get that back from him. There was no way she could do anything on post without it.

"Don't be ridiculous. You know I can't do that." Looks like she was wrong after all... he **was** insane. A soldier's military issued ID was never to be anywhere but on their person at all times. She could easily be written up for it.

"Better think of something , then."

"Fine!" If that's what it took to make him go away then fine. Reaching for her neck, she pulled her dog tags over her head and held them out. "Take them." She crossed her arms over her chest after he took them. "Happy now?"

Victory at last. "When and where?" She looked confused. "So we can make the trade?" His erection turned painful as he awaited her answer. Picking her tray up after she stood, she curiously gave him a triumphant smile of her own.

"Unlike my ID..." she winked at him. "I can get those replaced with little more than a verbal reprimand." God it took everything she had to walk away and not laugh at the utter shock on his face.

She was right and he was stunned... truly stunned. He watched her retreating form and with all his will, bit back his frustration. He wanted to follow her out into the parking lot but restrained himself in lieu of a new goal that sprang to mind. He wasn't sure how... but someday, somewhere, somehow... she would let him give her that kiss and it didn't matter **how** long he had to wait for that moment. She **would** pay up and when she did, when it finally led to them to his bedroom where he wanted her... he'd never allow her out of his bed without his express permission.

**To Be Continued…**

**oOo oOo oOo**

**Apparently many people still don't read these notes, regardless if they're before or after the chapter, LOL. (Thank you everyone who does! I appreciate your attention to detail! Kisses!) Reviews, pretty please? :D**


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own, nor do I profit from, the Disney Channel program 'Austin & Ally' or the characters therein. They are simply used in the following story for my own entertainment. Original story 'In The Army Now' written for the Buffy fandom by Im_bloody_english. This work belongs to her and I take no credit for the story line. Names and locations have been changed to suit the Austin & Ally fandom. No copyright infringement intended.

**oOo oOo oOo**

**CHAPTER NINE**

_-The following Saturday-_

Austin had been wandering around the mall for about an hour, making small purchases here and there when, as most men do, he glanced into the storefront window of Victoria's Secret only to see a vision that instantly had him hard. Lo and behold there she was. Towards the far right hand wall stood Ally, holding a bra in each hand, looking from one to the other as if trying to decide which color to buy. Of course this was too good an opportunity to pass up so he headed in and snuck up behind her.

"Why waste money on either when you don't bother to wear a bra anyway?"

She whipped around to face the infuriating smirk that went along with the familiar hushed voice in her ear.

"For your information I do wear bras most of the time, so you can wipe that stupid smile off your face and go away." She turned back around, trying to ignore how good he smelled and how hot he looked. Unlike the night at the NCO club, he wore faded blue denim, a white t-shirt with a plaid over shirt and solid black converse. She instantly became nervous at his nearness when he stepped up beside her and pointed to one of the brasseries she held.

"Definitely the red one. It compliments your eyes and skin tone." He chuckled when she put it back just because he'd said that and threw the pink instead into her little basket before stomping off. _So defiant_. He followed her, but stopped at a rack of sexy nightwear to pull out a lacy see-through baby-doll nightgown. "I like this one." He held it on front of her. "What do you think, baby?"

"I think it's a good thing I don't care what you like. And stop calling me baby." She snatched it out of his hand, held it up to inspect along with the tag then shoved it into his chest. "Besides... eighty five dollars? I don't think so." She shook her head.

"If the price is all you're worried about, I'll buy it." She looked so adorable the way she turned to prop one hand on her hip and smiled sweetly during her retort.

"I'm sure you'll look lovely in it though I admit I never took you for a cross-dresser." He opened his mouth but she held up her hand. "Look, go back to whatever hell dimension you were spawned from and leave me be, okay?"

"And miss the chance to watch you shop for lacey lingerie? Uh-uh. I think I'll stay. See what kind of panties you like to wear." He reached into her basket and was able to grab something out before she pulled it away. "Well, well, well." He held a pink silk thong high in the air while she jumped up to try and take it back. "These are nice. Much nicer than those granny panties from Basic," he purred.

"Damnit, Austin! Give it back." She tried jumping higher but he continued to tease her, dangling them low then high every time while smirking at her attempts.

"How about you model that little red number for me in the dressing room first, then I'll give 'em back?" That made her stop.

"You can add that to your list of things that's never going to happen. I'm outta here." She stormed off towards the check-out, ignoring him when he called her name. Setting her things on the counter she did her best to put on a smile for the cashier's sake as she rang up her merchandise when Austin came to stand beside her.

"You forgot these, sweetheart." He placed the underwear on top of the small pile along with the red nightgown he'd been teasing her about then placed an arm around her shoulders like they were a couple and kissed her cheek.

"NO!" The young girl behind the counter jumped after picking it up to scan. "I mean, no, _dear_!" She pushed his arm off her, picked up the scrap of material and shoved it into his hands. "I told you. It's the wrong size." She ground the words out and turned back to address the girl. "That will be all, thank you."

"I think I know your size by now. Go ahead." He nodded at the cashier who picked it up hesitantly.

"And I SAID," she snatched it right out of the girl's hand and set it further down the counter. "It's the wrong... size... DEAR!"

"I-I'll just set this aside." The poor girl didn't know what to do at this point but it was obvious these two were having a squabble about something unrelated to lingerie.

Ally paid for her things, spun around and left the store as fast as she could, hoping to lose herself in the crowd of shoppers before Austin could catch up to her. And for a few blissful minutes, she really thought she'd lost him... until he sat down next to her on the bench near the entrance of the mall.

"Why do you insist on following me?"

"I thought it was obvious."

"I hate you."

"I hate you too, Dawson, but why let that little emotion come between us now?"

"I'm leaving." She went to get up but sat right back down as soon he stated the obvious.

"I'll just follow you, Ally, so why run?"

"Did your military training include Special Ops in Stalking? Because you're seriously bordering on harassment here."

"Even if you hid from me," he tapped his nose twice. "I could track your scent from a mile away."

"God! Why don't you just club me over the head and drag me by my hair to your cave and get it over with?"

"Is that an invitation?"

She sighed, crossed her arms and turned away from him.

"Awwww, you gonna ignore me now?"

"I'm waiting for someone to show up so would you PLEASE... go away." It wasn't true but if it worked then it was worth lying about.

"Really?" It surprised him a moment before he became suspicious. "Who?" _Better not be a guy_, he thought.

"None of your business."

"Anyone I know?"

She ignored him.

"It's not like I care, so you might as well just tell me." It was killing him that she wouldn't speak and he became more jealous by the second wondering if it might just be another man.

She still wouldn't respond.

"Why can't you at least talk to me?" He pouted.

"Hmmm, let's examine the long list of reasons shall we?" She looked him dead in the eyes, ignored how handsome he looked and used the opportunity to remind _herself_ of all the reasons why she wasn't kissing the gorgeous bottom lip that was sticking out at her right now, teasing her, taunting her. "Maybe because nothing nice ever seems to come out of your mouth? And-I-hate-you. Because you've been nothing but an ass to me since the day we met and it hasn't changed? And-I-hate-you. Because you act like it would be some sort of honor for me to sleep with you again. And-I-hate-you. You're self-centered, egotistical, cocky, arrogant and oh, did I mention because I hate you?"

"Four times now," he said with a dead-panned face before sighing and licking his lips. "It's not like I'm draggin' you through the mud anymore. That's all in the past now, so what's your problem?"

"Don't act like you wouldn't if you had the chance because you would in a heartbeat. And MY problem? My problem is that I'm not the type to repeat mistakes. And sleeping with you was a mistake. YOU'RE the one who has a problem with it, not me."

"Why do you have to be such a bitch?" She had a point... not that it was a mistake, but if they'd never done it he wouldn't be chasing after her right now and all but begging to be with her again.

Ally squinted her eyes at him. "You seem to bring it out in me. That's the power of your charms. Let me ask you something; If all it's going to take for you to leave me alone is to let you use me again, then would you? Can we go somewhere right now and just get it over with? Because apparently all I am to you is a piece of ass."

"Ally..." That wasn't true and how was it this conversation was going in such an ugly direction all of a sudden? It was making him uncomfortable to think that's what she believed... that she was nothing but a piece of ass to him. "I never said-"

She interrupted him. "Let me give you some advice. As hard as it is for you to believe, being nice to a girl will get you farther than acting like-like... well, YOU!"

"Hey, I am nice..."

"The only time I ever saw you act nice was towards Dez's children. If you carried that kind of behavior over into how you treat women you just might get laid one of these days."

"If you wanted to sit on my lap and call me Uncle, Dawson, then why didn't you just say so?" He waggled both eyebrows at her; trying to get the conversation steered back towards their typical banter and away from the seriousness she was now treating the situation with.

"Erghhh! See? This is what I mean. I'm sure there are plenty of other women around who might fall for your style of courting, but not me. If all you're looking for is to get laid then why don't you try her," she pointed at a pretty girl who was leaving the mall. "Or her," she pointed at another who was coming in.

"I don't want anyone else. I want you."

"Lucky me," she muttered under her breath.

"What was that?"

"You've already had me," she cried, throwing her hands in the air. "So why?!" She waited but he didn't answer. He just sat there with a bewildered look on his face.

Austin thought about what she was asking him. That really was a good question. One to which he didn't have an answer, didn't want to **find** an answer, wasn't sure he **could** find an answer if he tried. As far as he was concerned, he didn't **need** an answer, all he knew is that he wanted **her**... and only her.

"You can't answer can you? Well, I'll tell you why. For whatever twisted reason, you JUST... DO! And once you've had me, you'll toss me aside like trash and I'm not trash."

She got up and went to sit on a bench on the opposite side of the entranceway.

"Come on Ally, don't be like this." He was right on her heels, sitting down next to her even closer than before. From the way she moved to the way she looked and smelled, everything she did, every dirty look she gave him, every razor-sharp comment she made turned him on. He never once thought of her as trash and it hurt just a little bit to think that's how she thought he felt about her.

"Don't be like what?"

"Don't you want it just as bad as I do?"

"You seriously need to get over yourself. You're not the only good looking guy on the planet." His persistence was unnerving and his close proximity had her body humming, reminding her it would be so much nicer if she just gave in to its desire so he could make it feel as good as he had months ago. _Damnit_! "Unlike you, I can suppress my hormones. If I get horny I take care of myself, I don't need a man."

"Ah-ha, so you admit you want to sleep with me again? Now we're getting somewhere." He leaned close to her ear and whispered. "That's quite a tantalizing image you've given me, sweetheart. Can I watch you touch yourself?" he purred seductively. "Maybe... lend an extra hand or two?"

"Sorry." She inched away from him and pointed both index fingers at herself. "This is an Army of one."

He chuckled. She was a spitfire alright. He'd never get enough of her, he knew that now.

"If I wanted to get laid it wouldn't be you plus I'm not looking for a relationship. So what EXACTLY is it that you want?"

"I'm not looking for a relationship either." Was he?

"Ohhh, I get it now." She leaned back and smiled confidently. "You wanna be fuck-buddies." She looked at him incredulously.

"All I've asked you for recently is a kiss, that's all." Actually, that wasn't a bad idea at all, but he knew that would piss her off if he said yes, so he steered her in yet a different direction and focused on getting the one thing she owed him first. If he could get **that**, the rest would inevitably fall into place.

"Is that what all this is about? A stupid kiss? What are you... twelve?"

"Hey! I ate dirty cheese to get that kiss. I deserve it, hell, I earned it. I think you should honor your end of the deal."

"No wonder your ex-fiancé's left you." _Oh, shit_! She'd forgotten what Dez had told her about his ex's and instantly regretted it as the expression that crossed his features could only be described as wounded. Those gorgeous brown eyes filled with hurt and sadness, making her realize she'd crossed a line, punched through his tough exterior to a very vulnerable spot in his heart.

He stood and shook her words off as best he could. "Fuck you. _I_ was the faithful one."

In her anger, she'd opened her big mouth before recalling that Dez already told her why Austin had called his engagements off in the first place. She knew all too well how he'd felt because she'd felt the same way after Gavin had cheated on her... devastated. No matter how Austin had treated her, he didn't deserve the heartless statement she'd thrown him. Well, she finally got what she wanted... he left her alone. What kept her from chasing after him right now to apologize was that he may not be willing to listen, let alone forgive her... and he shouldn't.

**oOo oOo oOo**

_-Six o'clock that same evening-_

After hearing the words 'come in', Jace entered Austin's apartment with a twelve pack in hand, wearing a smile that quickly faded when he took in the sight of his friend. Austin sat on his couch in jeans and a white tank top, dog tags hanging out, hair disheveled, socked feet propped on the coffee table which had ten empty beer bottles all lined up in a neat row.

"Starting a bit early, aren't we?" He opened the cardboard container, pulled out a beer and handed it over to his waiting hand. He studied his appearance a bit closer then watched in mild amusement as Austin cracked the top, tipped the bottle to his lips, chugged half its contents before pulling back to wipe the dribble off his chin and burp loudly. "I'll take that as a yes." Walking into the kitchen, he pulled a beer out for himself and placed the rest in the fridge before returning to sit across from his drunken buddy.

"Soooo. What, or rather WHO has you drinking so hard?"

"You're single right, Jay?"

"As far as everyone knows."

"Good for you, man. Stay away from women, they're…" he waved a hand in the air. "Nothin' but trouble."

"She got a name?" He stifled the urge to call him out on who he knew it **had** to be and waited to see how much he'd open up on his own.

Austin paid no attention to anything Jace said and went on a drunken rant. "Been engaged twice. _Twice._ Fucking faithful to both of `em. Gave those bitches everything they ever wanted and the minute I go to work, or the field or," he hiccupped. "War... they spread their legs for the next prick with a dick that comes along."

"Not every woman is like that, Aus. Two bad _almost_-marriages is enough to put a bad taste in anyone's mouth but there are plenty of women out there just like you."

"Well, if you meet any, send `em my way." He knew Ally was probably the faithful type, but apparently she'd found out from someone he'd almost been married before and had the impression it was somehow his fault for it falling apart. S_tupid bitch. Who needs her anyway with her stupid hair and cute nose and soft skin, perfect breasts and... _

"Stick to dating soldiers. Nobody understands a soldier's life better than another soldier."

"Have anyone in mind?" He had someone in mind if she didn't hate him so much that, however unknowingly, had hurt him worse than either Piper or Brooke had.

"Matter of fact I think you already do." He pointed at Austin's chest.

"Say again?"

Again, Jace pointed at his chest.

"Out with it." He watched Jace get up and walk over to him.

He picked up both sets of dog tags Austin wore and held them in front of his face.

"God Damnit!" He snatched them back, completely irritated with himself for being so stupid for letting Ally's tags be seen on his person.

Dez knocked on Austin's door but didn't bother waiting for an answer before walking right in. "Hey men, wha..." he saw Austin scowling while Jace stood there laughing his ass off. "What's going on here?"

Jace addressed Austin in between breaths. "If you don't tell him I will."

"Tell me what?"

Austin didn't say a word, he just sat there, scowl deepening.

"Seems our good friend Austin is sporting Private Dawsons' dog tags close to his heart and apparently had a lover's spat recently."

At this, Dez raised his eyebrows in surprise then smiled. "Did you kick it with Dawson?"

"Kick it?" Austin asked confused.

"Yeah, you know... hittin' skins, knockin' boots...tappin' that ass?"

"Just once." What the hell, the cat was already out of the bag now anyway.

Dez's eyes went wide as he realized something. "I'll be damned. THAT'S where all the glass in my pictures went."

"What?" It was Jace's turn to look confused.

"You and she..." he paused. "On graduation day in our old office. Didn't you?" It was an accusation rather than a question. "You dirty dog you."

Austin went back to scowling. "Drop it, man."

"Oh man," now he was laughing just as hard as Jace was. "You do realize you got it bad, right?"

"I do not. She's a bitch and we're not... together."

"Then why are you wearing her dog tags?" Dez asked, prompting Jace to turn serious.

"Yeah, why ARE you wearing her dog tags?"

"We had a deal and I'm holding them as collateral."

"AND?" both asked in unison.

"She's supposed to _... toletmekissher_." Good God he felt like an ass as it flew quickly out of his mouth, hoping they didn't actually hear it. It sounded just as childish as it probably was.

"You're holding her dog tags hostage for a KISS? Brother... you are so damn tired." Jace chuckled and shook his head.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Austin scowled.

"What he means is that you've fallen for her," Dez explained.

Austin took another swig of his beer. "You know the last thing I`m looking for is a relationship. I don't ever want to be love's bitch again."

Dez sat down and took the beer Jace handed him and turned serious. "Look man, you know you two are my guys and we've always," he gestured between himself and Austin. "Been real with each other, we're amigos, no, more than that _hermanos del alma_ here, so let me set you straight on something. Ally is a good girl. One HELL of a woman if not THE perfect woman for you. If anyone has EVER been able to put your ass in check it's her. But if you're not already involved with her AND you're looking to her for the occasional booty call," he shook his head in disapproval. "She ain't your girl. You're better off looking somewhere else."

"Man's got a point. Now that I've been working with her for a while, I can vouch for that. She's not that kind of girl."

"Ahhhh," Dez held up a finger and turned to Jace to share his revelation from weeks ago. "It's also the very reason why our friend wants her. Because she IS exactly like him."

"I'm not in love and stop talking as if I`m not sitting here." Now he was irritated. "I just have... physical needs that`s all and-and... we were good together... that way." Why the hell was he defending himself? No way was he in love. Infatuated, yes, but in love? No. Even if it were true, she hated him... had made that fact repeatedly clear.

Jace piped up. "Whatever happened between you two, whatever it is she said or did - must have been pretty bad."

"Mmm-hmm. And the Austin I know hasn't been this drunk over a woman since his last break up."

"If you two don't drop the shhubject," he waggled an angry intoxicated finger at them both. Enough was enough.

"Okay, okay." Dez looked to Jace who nodded and confirmed.

"Dropped."

As the evening progressed, one thing became clear as Dez and Jace picked up discussing their shared opinion on the 'Ally issue' Austin was having... long after their friend had passed out, naturally. That if he was ever going to be happy, and it was agreed that Ally could potentially make him happy, they would simply have to work together to somehow make them both see past their inborn stubbornness. **How**, was the mystery.

**oOo oOo oOo**

_-Two and a half weeks later... on a Monday-_

Jace was taking care of some paperwork when he came across a formal memorandum of request. Apparently Dez and Austin's unit was going on a very specialized, one week training mission and they were short on medics. The request was that MEDDAC assign two of their soldiers from any department where they were able to release them to accompany the unit into the field for that week. Noticing Dez's name was the point of contact at the bottom of the paper made it clear **why** he'd received the memorandum in the first place... because **he** was in charge of all the medics working in the department he now ran... the one Ally was presently on rotation in. He picked up his phone and immediately dialed Dez's work number.

"I hear you're in need of two medics?" he asked as soon as Dez picked up. "It just so happens I have at least one soldier in particular who could be released from her current scheduled duties to accompany your unit this upcoming Friday... if you're interested?" He chuckled as he listened to Dez go on about how he'd been expecting him to call. "No problem. Got it covered BUT, it's up to you from there to get them talking again... if you say so... okay then, I'll type up the paperwork and talk to you later." Hitting the receiver, he quickly dialed another number and asked to have Private Dawson paged to come to his office so he could inform her where she'd be reporting to after he gave her a couple, unexpected days off to prepare for her new mission.

**oOo oOo oOo**

_-Early Friday morning-_

Ally had absolutely **no** idea that this was Austin's unit until Dez approached her right before she stepped into the M-997 military version ambulance, readying to drive the huge metal beast in a convoy out to no-man's land for this latest mission.

"De... I mean, Sergeant McCarthy. I didn't know this was your unit." He shook her hand and leaned forward to embrace her for a more manly style slap on the back rather than his usual hug.

"Yup. It's gonna be fun, too. There'll be plenty of injuries for you to mend on this one. We're playing some heavy duty war games this week."

"If it's blood and guts, I'm your gal." She smiled while in the back of her mind she worried over whether or not she'd run into Austin. She hadn't seen him since that day in the mall and truthfully? She should be thankful he was finally leaving her alone but deep down, she still felt awful over what she'd said.

"Yup. This week is in preparation for the next field exercise we're scheduled for in two weeks. Gonna be gone a month and a half for that one. Well, anyway, you should say hi to Austin." He pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "He's over there." _Take the bait, girl... come on_.

"I'm sure I'll see him out there. Right now we're ready to roll." She pointed towards their company commander who was using the 'round-up' signal to anyone who wasn't already inside their tactical vehicles.

"Right. Well, catch ya later then."

She giggled as he saluted her and trotted off before turning to Cassidy who sat in the passenger side.

"You ready, Als?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." She was glad Cassidy hadn't said anything more. After returning from the mall the day Austin stormed off, she'd told her and Trish what she'd said to him and they both agreed she needed to make things right; that no matter how he'd acted towards her he didn't deserve what she'd said to him. _Yeah, gotta make things right_, she thought. First chance she could.

_Meanwhile..._

Dez informed Austin that Ally was one of their 'borrowed' medics along for the exercise. His first thought was to go find her but he very quickly nixed the idea. Though he couldn't rightfully harbor any malice towards her over what she'd said because, after all, she knew nothing about his two failed almost-marriages other than the fact they failed, he couldn't bring himself to chase her anymore either. He still wanted her... more than anything, but felt sure she truly did hate him. He still had yet to get her out of his head and his fantasies and finding out she was spending the week out here with his unit definitely wasn't going to help.

As the convoy started off, he recalled the conversation he'd held with Dez and Jace on the day she'd hurt him and then how he'd struggled with what they'd said the next day over one of the worst hangovers he'd experienced since his discovery that Piper was having an affair.

"... Ally."

"What?" Austin was so distracted he didn't hear anything Dez said other than mentioning her name. "That cold bitch?"

"Come on, man. That's just wrong." he reached over and pulled the double set of dog tags from under his shirt. "You two need to make up and this week is the perfect opportunity to do just that."

Austin angrily snatched them back and dropped them under his shirt. "I'm not going anywhere near her." He watched Dez smile as if he was up to something.

"I bet," he smiled mischievously. "That by the end of the week, you two will have made up."

"Not gonna happen, man."

"Alright, alright, it's all good."

"What are you gettin' at?"

"I'm just saying all's fair in love and war." He turned as if no longer interested in continuing the conversation.

"Out with it." He knew when his friend wanted to gamble.

"A bet."

"A bet?"

"Yup. I bet that by the end of the week you two will have made up and will at least be on talking terms."

"What's the wager?" He sighed. _This'll be an easy win_.

"If I win, you have to cut your hair. It's not standard crew cut anyway."

"And if I win?"

"I'll bleach mine." Austin threw him a look. "Err okay, I'll grow mine. I'll take two week's leave and grow it like carrot top. Okay? You know how fast my hair grows…"

"Kate better not get mad at me over your new look," Austin smirked. It wouldn't be hard avoiding Ally. This week was jam-packed with hours upon hours of serious training. Even if he did run into her, there wouldn't be time past a simple 'hello' let alone make up with the girl. What he didn't know was that Dez purposefully assigned Ally's medical team to their platoon, ensuring they would at least be within close proximity of each other.

**To Be Continued…**

**oOo oOo oOo**

**This one was a little shorter than the others. Hopefully you don't hate me for it! :)**


	10. Chapter 10

_**DISCLAIMER: **__I do not own, nor do I profit from, the Disney Channel program 'Austin & Ally' or the characters therein. They are simply used in the following story for my own entertainment. Original story 'In The Army Now' written for the Buffy fandom by Im_bloody_english. This work belongs to her and __I take no credit__ for the story line. Names and locations have been changed to suit the Austin & Ally fandom. __No copyright infringement intended__._

**oOo oOo oOo**

**CHAPTER TEN**

_-The following Thursday-_

Second platoon's medics needed assistance in preparing two soldiers whose wounds were serious enough to warrant being transported back to post so Ally was stuck helping out until everything was settled. She radioed Cassidy to let her know because she was now over forty minutes late in getting back to their location and the night exercise that was planned for tonight would be starting soon. Dusk had settled when she entered the darkened woods, trying desperately to remember her way back to the ambulance before she lost too much light. Trudging through the eerie silence of the forest, she tried to ignore the lack of noise and let her thoughts drift to Austin.

In a way she was relieved she hadn't run into him all week but, every time she happened to catch a brief glimpse of him, she wished she had. The image of those chocolate pools filled with such hurt haunted her and she really wanted a chance to say she was sorry. Now that they were nearing the end of the training exercise, however, she'd long since given up thinking it was ever going to happen. The fact he hadn't approached her once told her he was over whatever infatuation he'd once had for her and would never forgive her even if she were to go out of her way to talk to him. He would more than likely say something equally mean back to her and she wasn't sure she could hold her tongue; actually, she knew she couldn't hold her tongue around him. He really did seem to bring her inner bitch out, so it was probably for the best they hadn't had a chance to speak.

Cassidy was of the opinion that his behavior towards women was nothing more than a self-defense mechanism... and that really got her thinking. If she herself had been betrothed to Gavin when he'd cheated on her, she imagined the process of a separation from someone who was supposed to love you, was about to take vows to do so, would be much worse than the devastation she'd felt back in Basic. Add to that a second engagement that turned out the same way and it painted a much different, clearer picture of why Austin was the way he was. Still, it wasn't an excuse to treat her the way he had. Why should she take the brunt of his ugly past? She wasn't the one to blame for his fiancés' indiscretions. If she were married to him she wouldn't dream of being unfaithful and _why the hell did I just have the insane thought of being married to Austin anyway_?

"Damnit," she cursed, tripping over an unseen branch as she neared a huge oak tree. In the split second before she had the chance to right herself, she was yanked to the ground with lightning speed by an unseen force that stifled her, "Eeeep," of surprise.

Her eyes went wide with terror and her second panicked cry was suppressed by a warm strong hand.

"Shhhhh." Austin saw her coming from forty yards away and knew she'd blow this operation if he hadn't leapt up to pull her down into his hand-dug trench. He spoke in a hushed but deadly serious tone. "I'm gonna let go, but don't scream. Got it?" She nodded and he slowly released the pressure of his hand from her mouth. He was suddenly very aware of how he'd grabbed her body and the fact they were now face to face on their sides, the front of their bodies flush to one another's inside the narrow trench.

Even before he spoke, she'd recognized those piercing eyes that miraculously stood out against the face and hair that was patterned in camo paint to blend into the surroundings. "Austin," she whispered. The nearness of him took her by surprise and she instinctively tried to get away, pushing against his chest only to be pulled tighter against him by the arm he had encircling her waist. "Let go of me. What do you think you're doi-"

He covered her mouth again. "Shut your mouth, Dawson, I`m serious," he hissed at her. "Take a look over there." He nodded near where he'd taken her down. "See that line? That's trip-wire and you were about to run into it and blow our entire operation wide open before the enemy came through. I had to stop you." She looked back and forth from him to where he'd indicated then nodded in acknowledgment so he removed his hand from her mouth.

"I'll step over it, I promise. Now let me go." This was entirely too uncomfortable a situation to be in with any man, especially when said man looked damn hot in camo paint, _of all things_. It made for quite the awkward position when she realized he was probably still angry with her. He shook his head and used both arms to still her movements when she tried to push against him again.

"Can't do that. That wire`s crisscrossed everywhere in this area and you won't be able to see now that it`s dark. I'm sorry, but I can't have you setting off something that took us over two hours to set up." There was no reason to hold onto her as tightly as he was but damn, he couldn't get over how good she felt and the fact she was really in his arms, however odd the circumstances were.

"Can't you walk me through it? Please? Cassidy is waiting for me."

"No. Now lower your voice and listen. This operation has been underway now for almost an hour." It was the truth, but also a great excuse to keep her right here with him.

"It's just an exercise for God sakes. It isn't like this is for real." The suspicion he wasn't being entirely honest with her and was suddenly resorting to his old ways had her on edge. He didn't need to hold her hostage here, she was sure of it.

"Yes, it`s just an exercise, but," now he was irritated. This might be a game to her, but this was his job, what he was trained to do, to go to war and everything was treated as if it were a real combat situation. "If it were real, you'd be dead. I'm not gonna get my platoon in trouble 'cause some lazy female CLINIC soldier was late getting to her post."

"Excuse me?" Her voice went loud and he immediately clamped his hand back over her mouth and gave her a deadly warning stare to remain silent.

"I'm warning you, Dawson. Shut that cake hole of yours now."

He waited until he was sure she understood just how serious he was before releasing her again.

"How long do we have to stay here?" she whispered.

"As long as it takes. Could be an hour, could be four. You'll just have to deal with it. Now BE SILENT." He went back to scanning the area for any movement, determined to ignore her intoxicating scent and the warmth her body gave his as they lay on the cold ground.

Long minutes passed before she began wiggling, causing an immediate response to his manhood.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I need some circulation back to my legs. I'm getting stiff."

"If you don't stop moving around, you're not the only one who's gonna be stiff." He wasn't trying to be crude, not really. What he'd said was true and at least it made her go stone still.

"I can't believe you just said that." He gave her a disbelieving look which luckily wasn't missed since their eyes were adjusted to the darkness. "I take it back. That IS something you would totally say."

"Shhhh!" Maybe he should just gag her.

"Fine, you won't hear another word out of me."

_Finally_.

A few more minutes passed and he still kept his arm around her waist even when sweeping the area every now and then with his night vision goggles using his free hand. She couldn't help becoming overly suspicious and went into self-defense mode, desperate to at least put **some** distance between them.

"'I'll bet you're loving this."

"What?!" He turned to look into her accusing eyes. _Of course_. She thought he was going to try something with her. "Don't flatter yourself, that's the furthest thing from my mind." She looked doubtfully at him, and rightfully so.

"What are we supposed to do while we're here?" She couldn't take much more of this-this... being still crap.

He smirked at her. "I've got a few things in mind what we could do." He really shouldn't have said that but she brought out the instinctual dirty-minded male side to his personality.

"Oh, GOD. I knew it. Get your mind out of the gutter." He clamped his hand back over her mouth.

"It's not exactly a gutter but..." his eyes ran the length of the trench so she caught his meaning. She thankfully went silent again, but of course it didn't last. The second he let go of her mouth she just had to have the last word.

"Trench mouth." _Great, I've let him reduce me to name calling. Lame much, Ally_?"

"That's a bacterial infection of the gums. I think you meant something else."

"I know what the hell it is," she whispered while still managing to fill her tone with venom. "I hate you."

"Whatever. Now shut it."

"Hey! You're one here with rapid peristalsis of the mouth."

"What in the hell is that?" God, she was annoying.

"Means nothing but shit flows out of your mouth... diarrhea style."

"Very witty. Now will you PLEASE... shut the fuck up?" She was driving him nuts even when she hmmph'ed in response but said nothing else. He could see her pout forming and did his best not to let it affect him. She looked like a little girl instead of the woman he knew her to be and it made him want to kiss that pout away. _Erghhhh, get it outta your head, man_.

A few more minutes passed before she couldn't take it anymore. She had to do the whole carpe diem thing because more than likely she'd never get the opportunity after this. If he was going to go back to being an ass, she at least wanted to do the right thing **before** he made her change her mind.

"I'm sorry."

"Excuse me?" _What the hell is she on about now_?

"For what I said to you about your exes, a-at the mall. I'm... I'm really sorry." There, it was done.

"Dawson, if you don't shut your fucking mouth I'll shut it for you." He instantly regretted not accepting her apology but the girl just wouldn't stay quiet and it was important to have complete silence during this exercise.

"I'm trying to apologize." Could he be any more rude?

"Don't test me, 'cause... just be quiet. Can you do that, please?" He was trying to temper the situation though inside he was touched she actually apologized for hurting him. If they were anywhere else but here, well, he wasn't sure **how** he'd react.

"I'm trying to be nice here and you're telling me to shut up?" He just couldn't accept it. Like she expected him too? Hell, she wouldn't forgive herself either. She was about to give up and ignore him completely when he just **had** to open his big mouth again and **really** piss her off.

"I'm warning you. If you don't shut that pretty mouth of yours right now, I promise you won't like the results."

"Are you threatening me? HA! Let me up so I can find the right size branch and kick your-"

"I warned you." That was it. He couldn't have her yammering but he damn sure didn't want her thinking her apology wasn't appreciated either. So he made his move, hoping she wouldn't slap him for his effort in trying to achieve both objectives.

His warm mouth unexpectedly covered hers, swallowing her yelp of surprise. She pushed against him with all her might but he trapped her firmly in his steely embrace, drawing her closer, one hand to the back of her head, the other wrapping ever tighter about her waist.

"You're forgiven," he spoke out of the corner of his mouth so he didn't have to pull away from her.

He forgave her? _He forgives me_, she internally sighed with relief, feeling the weight of her guilt lift even as he pressed his lips harder against hers.

He frantically sought her surrender to the kiss, fought with his mouth for mutual participation. No woman went out of her way to apologize to a man she supposedly hated... especially not his Ally. She felt **something** for him; he was sure of it and wanted desperately to confirm this before letting her go.

_No, no. Shouldn't be... can't_, "Ah-mmph," _doing this_. Her lips parted to gasp for air and he quickly seized the opportunity to invade her mouth with his tongue.

Her struggles slowly tapered, whimpers of protest weakening to give way to moans. Her mind, however, remained locked in battle, knowing she shouldn't be doing this, trying to get her arms to cooperate and resume the fight to push him away from her. The taste of his tongue against hers quickly brought back her conflicting thoughts from earlier. They marched right into her brain to clash then overrun all logic. If that wasn't enough, her body betrayed her as well, began to respond on its own, humming under his touch, coming in to act as reinforcement to provide a ready justification she could accept later as her will unraveled.

Tiny sighs of bliss escaped her throat in unison with his moaning. His grip to her waist loosened the moment he felt her hand on his back, holding him to her while she turned her mouth sideways to give him more access, kissing him back with equal fervor. This was heaven and he never felt better in his lonely life than he did right now with her in his arms. He became lost in that moment, forgetting where they were and what he was supposed to be doing, all he knew is he wanted more and moved his hand to cup her face before rolling her onto her back.

Everything he was doing felt so incredible, every delicious swipe of his tongue, every gentle stroke of his thumb to her cheek and, "Mmmmm," suddenly she was on her back, her knees being nudged apart so he could plant his strong thighs between her legs and press his erection against her center. Her hips instinctively bucked against his bold move, causing him to growl into her mouth, setting her nerves on fire.

His conscience tugged at him, telling him this was going too far and not to ruin whatever truce they'd just achieved by trying to rut with her in the dirt. _Oh, Christ, gotta stop, help me to stop_. As if God himself heard his prayer, the very next moment someone tripped the alarm and the smoke bombs went off with a hiss, signaling his need to spring into action. _ FUCK_. It had to be, no matter how much he wished he could stay right here with her, things were getting too heated and it wasn't the place or time. He pulled away from her to place a few light, reassuring kisses to her lips.

"Thank you, Ally... thank you." He placed another short kiss to her lips then leapt up and took off.

Before she knew it, he was gone, leaving her in a daze of need. She heard what he said but her mind and body needed a moment to recover then process what the hell just happened. She rolled over and watched as a flurry of action took place all around her accompanied by the 'rat-a-tat-tat' of blanks being fired in this simulated war. It took quite a few minutes for things to calm down and when she saw an opportunity to get up and move about without interfering, she quickly headed off to find the ambulance.

**oOo oOo oOo**

Ally walked past a small group of soldiers, heading for the ambulance where Cassidy sat in the driver's seat, looking bored while reading a magazine.

"Hey, Als. Where were you?"

"I got held up a bit longer helping second platoon with their causalities."

"Huh." She smiled curiously at her. "If you say so."

She shrugged her shoulders at Cassidy's odd response and kept walking towards the back of the vehicle. She was still feeling flushed from Austin's kisses and needed something to drink. Opening the double doors, she climbed in, flicked on the overhead lights and retrieved her canteen.

The sound of someone knocking against the side brought her attention to the door after swallowing a mouthful of water. "Just a second." Hopping out, she was briefly greeted by Dez's bright smile before that smile was traded out for an expression that could only be described as weird.

"Hey there. Uhmm... you got a little," he raised his hand and brushed his mouth.

"What?" She put her fingers to her mouth and wiped at it. "Is it water?"

"No. More like," he pointed above his own lip and waited while she wiped the area casually. "And... there," he indicated the sides of her mouth.

"God, what is it?" She started freaking out, thinking she was covered in dirt or worse, a smushed bug. She wiped furiously at her mouth with the back of her hand then brought it up to the light for inspection.

Dez watched her eyes go huge as she groaned, "Oh God!" When she looked back at him, she felt her face go hot with embarrassment as he gave her a toothy grin, shook his head in amusement then walked away, chuckling as he went. What the light revealed was camo paint... Austin's camo paint. It must have rubbed off all over her when they were kissing. Mortified, she quickly went for a pack of baby wipes, the most indispensable item a soldier can bring to the field and scrubbed her face clean while Cassidy looked over her shoulder to ask.

"Take it he accepted your apology?"

**oOo oOo oOo**

Dez walked towards the Tactical Operations Center, or TOC tent and nearly ran right into Austin as he was exiting.

"Whoa, man."

"Hey there," his voice held enthusiasm but with just a hint of mild sarcasm for good measure as he took in his friend's appearance. "Looks like someone's gonna be knee deep in luscious blonde locks falling to the ground before we go out tomorrow night."

"Huh?"

Dez held up a finger to say 'wait a second', pulled his camo-paint pack out and opened it before handing it over. "Have a look."

Austin held the mirror side up to his face and emitted a string of curses as he took in the sight of his smudged war paint.

"Seems Dawson is wearing the other half."

**oOo oOo oOo**

_-The very next day-_

Everyone finished taking inventory back on post at the Infantry unit's motor pool and were about to be released for some much needed R&R when Dez came trotting up to Ally and Cassidy as they headed for Cassidy's car.

"Ladies," he called out until they stopped to face him. "NCO club tonight at eight, it's the ritual."

"But we're not part of your company." She knew what he meant but turned to inform Cassidy. "Every time they come back from the field, they have drinks at the NCO club."

"True, but you participated so you have to come... both of you." He looked from one to the other.

"Not my usual hang out but count me in. I'm not one to break tradition and there ARE a couple of hotties I wouldn't mind seeing again."

"You can't be serious?" The question was directed at Dez but both answered 'yes' at the same time.

"Come on, Als. You know you want to go." She laughed when Ally rolled her eyes at her.

"Fine. Eight o'clock. But I'm only staying long enough for one beer."

"Great. See ya there." Now that he was sure she'd be showing tonight, all he had left to do was make sure his best friend kept up his end of the bet and showed his new 'do' off tonight. Cassidy approached him during the week and had a little talk with him about her thoughts on the not-couple. Seemed Ally's friend was well aware of what had been going on all along and was totally willing to help in any way she could.

**oOo oOo oOo**

"I am NOT going to wear this." No way, it was too, too... brazen for her taste.

"You look totally hot. Besides, I agreed to stay for one drink and run interference from Sergeant Sweet Cheeks in that pathetic place they dare call a club and for that... you ARE coming out with me for once to a real bar."

"Fine, but can I at least switch tops? I'd feel more comfortable in something of my own." She stared at her own reflection and whirled around, taking in the clothes Cassidy insisted she wear from her own wardrobe.

"Nope. Now come on, we're already late and it's time to get our drink on. I arranged for a cab to pick us up at eight thirty so we can get trashed tonight and not worry about driving." If everything went as planned, her friend and this Austin guy would be between the sheets by night's end.

"Okay, okay." She had to admit she did look good in the little black outfit, and it wasn't overly revealing but she still felt uncomfortable, more so over Austin's reaction to it since he would more than likely be there.

**oOo oOo oOo**

_-At the NCO club-_

Their group was a bit larger than usual after Dez informed everyone that the two MEDDAC females would be joining them for drinks. Austin was a mess of conflicting emotions as he stood there when Dez made the little announcement earlier that day at the motor pool. Yes, he'd cut most of his blonde hair, so much so that if he pushed his bangs out of his face and threw on a hat he could pass for actually having his required crew cut, and yes he showed up, but not to prove to Dez that he'd kept their bet so much as to be there when Ally showed. He wasn't sure what he would say to her or how she would act towards him after what took place between them, but he wouldn't have any of his comrades thinking she was up for grabs... no matter what he had to do to fend them off.

Just as he finished that thought, there she was, standing with her back to him at the bar with her friend and _fucking hell_! She looked, looked... he swallowed hard, hotter than he'd ever seen her. The civilian clothes he'd seen on her were cute, **very** cute, but tonight she looked like a goddess, decked out in leather except for the black cotton top that was held together by a long line of silky, feminine strings that braided down her entire back to tie neatly in a bow. When she turned around, he noticed it showed her mid-riff off where she sported a silver belly ring. The short black leather mini-skirt barely came to mid-thigh and her knee-high boots he'd seen her wear before completed the outfit. Every male in the place had to be as hard as he was right now. She looked like the little sex kitten he knew her to be and he couldn't help but wink at her when she caught him staring. He was sure she'd dressed that way just for him, and he was definitely going to show her just how much he appreciated the gesture. Seems she'd finally come around and accepted the inevitable... they belonged together.

"Okay, I got my beer. Now let's go find Dez and his motley crew of foot soldiers."

"Oh my God!" Cassidy had already turned around and the sight she saw took her by complete surprise right before she gasped in surprise and tilted her head to get a better look..

"Wha..." Turning around, she quickly caught sight of the reason for her roommate's reaction. There was Austin, standing next to Dez, looking as fine as ever in his more typical, faded jeans and white tee, but with his Californian surfer-style hair trimmed considerably, his neck cleaned up and his unruly bangs barely swooping down in front of one eye. He winked at her. "What the hell?" The wink was the second shock to the haircut and he had that all too familiar smug look about him. She quickly turned back around and picked up her beer, taking a huge swig from it. "Oh-my-God!" This was so not happening. He looked good, surprisingly sexy even though he'd tamed his rebellious hair style for someone in the Army, but the look on his face had her fuming. The cocky gesture meant he **must** have misinterpreted their kiss for something more than what it was... a heat of the moment thing that her lack of better judgment had lured her to participate in.

"Your boy looks good, Als. Come on, time to join them for this drink before we high-tail it outta here."

"Yeah." It only took a moment to recall the way he'd treated her all along and his expression suggested he was going back to being the jerk she knew him to be. _Erghhhh_, how dare he after she'd went and apologized. She thought that meant something to him. _Obviously not_. Fine, okay, if he was going to go back to being his usual arrogant self, well, she would just have to remind him where he stood with her.

For the next twenty minutes, Ally put as much distance between them as possible, smiling away at his friends, making small talk while drinking her beer, ignoring his presence entirely. He thought for sure, no, he **knew** they'd come to an understanding with the way she kissed him back and even encouraged his advances in the woods. Now... **now** she was back to acting as if he were beneath her, unworthy of acknowledgement in any form.

"We need a woman's perspective," Dez turned to both the girls. "Men have the same typical reasons for joining the Army, but what's the story on why you two joined?"

Cassidy answered him first.

"This is the only place where I'm treated as an equal and can make as much money as a man."

Ally chimed in to back her friend up. "I agree. I mean let's face it, in the civilian sector men make two thirds of the world's income. But here," she spread her hands wide, "We're equals. It doesn't matter the age or gender, it's time in service that determines income."

"Sounds like bullshit to me," Austin quickly interjected, trying to gain some measure of her attention.

Cassidy nodded in agreement with Ally. "Take a man and a woman who are both at the same executive level in corporate America. The typical paycheck for that female executive is at least twenty thousand less than the guy who has the same amount of experience in terms of years with the company."

"Shoot," one of the other men went ghetto. "I'd give twenty percent of my paycheck to have multiple orgasms." Everyone around them burst out laughing while a few of the men shouted, 'here, here'.

"Speaking of... time to hustle," Cassidy nudged Ally's side while pointing to her watch. She needed to keep 'operation orgasm' on schedule if she and Dez were going to succeed.

"Gotcha." She walked over to Dez and ignored Austin completely as she embraced him for a hug. "Gotta go, sorry. It's been fun, thank you."

"Awww," several of the guys chimed at the same time. "Leaving us so soon?"

"Afraid so."

"Hot date, huh?" Dez asked.

"Something like that." She winked at him, all the while feeling Austin's eyes bore a very welcome, jealous hole through her clothes. _Good_. He should have known better. If he'd been nice to her, they might have had a pleasant conversation for once. Alas, it wasn't meant to be. He'd chosen to resort back to being the natural born ass he was and ruin everything. _His loss... totally_. She felt a smug sense of satisfaction when she caught him staring after her retreating form and she purposefully exaggerated the sway of her hips to drive home the unspoken point.

**oOo oOo oOo**

When the cab dropped them off twenty minutes later outside of the main city, Ally wondered exactly what she'd gotten herself into. They walked into a club filled with loud alternative rock, strobe lights, both men and women dancing inside suspended cages dressed in next to nothing.

"Welcome to my world, Als. Come on." Cassidy grabbed her arm and dragged her to the bar. "Two starters," she ordered the bartender who looked like the guy from 'OCC Choppers'. He nodded at her, set two short glasses on the bar and proceeded to fill it with two different kinds of alcohol before setting it on fire. "Drink up, roomie." She handed Ally her fiery drink, blew the flame out to her own and downed it in one gulp.

"Uhmm... oh fuck it." After seeing the bartender give her a preemptive look, she followed Cassidy's example and licked her lips over the sweet taste it left in her mouth. "Wow. That was... wow! Can I have another?"

"Trust me, one of those is enough. Two of the usual, please." She waited until he made two whiskey sours and added the cherries, then handed him a fifty before adding, "Keep `em coming."

Ally sipped hesitantly at the mixed drink, but soon found herself comfortably numb midway through the second.

It was twenty past ten when Cassidy saw Dez walking towards the bar... Austin in tow as planned. "Let's dance," she grabbed Ally's drink right out of her hand and set it down on the counter.

"Huh?"

"Your boy just showed up and I'm trying to save you. Trust me," she nodded towards the other end of the bar and watched as Ally looked over, recognition along with dread crawling across her features when she caught sight of him. "Don't worry, we can keep ourselves busy. Besides, don't you wanna make him regret what he lost out on?" She winked and took her friend's hand to lead her out on the dance floor, watching Ally's expression change from one of confusion to complete understanding.

She wasn't drunk, not completely and she knew Cassidy well enough by now to understand where she was going with this. "Sooooo, make him jealous?"

"Yeah... something like that." She reached the center of the dance floor and brought Ally's hands to wrap around her waist before raising her own above her head to engage in the beat of the tune that began, swaying her hips seductively close to her friend's.

_Mother of God_, Dez thought as he spotted Ally and her roommate out on the dance floor less than thirty seconds after Austin and he reached the bar. He nudged an elbow in his buddy's side and cocked his head in the girls' direction. "Get a load of that."

"What?" Looking across the sea of people, he instantly honed in on what had his friend totally transfixed. Taking in the lyrics to 'Pretty Piece of Flesh' by One Inch Punch, he went impossibly hard, caught like a fly in a spider's web at the vision the two women created as they danced together erotically to the seductive words.

_I strike, quickly being bold_

_You're all, you're all dogs  
>You're just dogs of the house<br>You're weak, weak, weak, weak slaves  
>The weak slave goes to the wall, oooh<em>

_'Cause I am  
>I am that pretty piece of flesh<br>I am a pretty piece of flesh_

"I think this falls under the don't ask, don't tell policy," Dez mused aloud.

"Indeed." Austin wished he'd worn a slightly looser pair of jeans as he had to adjust his erection when Ally ran her hands down the front of Cassidy's body, barely avoiding the other woman's breasts.

_Go, go, foes can never measure to the crew as we roll on  
>Blast the amplifiers in the back with their soul on<br>A pretty piece of flesh and yes, you better show your crest  
>Shoulder holster strapped, I'm pulling from the chest<em>

_Guess who's gonna be the first to pull it from you?  
>But if the steel seal representing Montague<br>Lovelorn torn from two sides, singin' at dark skies  
>To the heavens, I'll be seeing worlds collide<em>

Cassidy wrapped an arm around Ally's waist the second she knew the couple in question made eye contact. Whatever happened from here was no longer within her control. All she could do was steer them in the right direction with Dez's help if they could group together after this dance.

_I'm dodgin' bullets and bang, it's hard to hang  
>Doing a hundred miles an hour like a video game<br>Rollin' brick thick and diesel thinking nothin' can faze me  
>With nickel plated sword slingin', livin' is crazy<em>

_Stars collide, worlds divide with a pretty piece of flesh  
>Your little pretty piece of flesh<br>Stars collide, worlds divide with a pretty piece of flesh  
>Your little pretty piece of flesh <em>

Suddenly, another man came up to slide himself in between the two beautiful women.

Watching his Ally so intimately wrapped between her roommate and another guy, writhing and gyrating to the erotic beat had his blood boiling with jealousy.

_I am a pretty piece of flesh  
>I am a pretty piece of flesh<em>

_I will split you in two  
>Shake shake shake boom<br>I strike, quickly being bold  
>You're all, you're all dogs<em>

"Be right back..." His legs carried him forward, pushing through the crowd of dancers in order to reach the object of his affection, determined to put a stop to all of the attention she was receiving and paying to her dance partners.

Dez signaled Cassidy with his head as Austin neared the trio and watched her lead the guy away from Ally who had her back to them. He was glad she understood what he meant because he didn't want this to turn into a bar room brawl. His second sigh of relief came when Austin headed straight for Ally instead of the idiot boy.

_Stars collide, worlds divide with a pretty piece of flesh  
>(you're just dogs of the house)<br>Pretty piece of flesh (you're weak, weak, weak, weak slaves)  
>Stars collide, worlds divide with a pretty piece of flesh<br>(the weak slave goes to the wall, oooh)  
>Pretty piece of flesh<em>

With her hands above her head, eyes closed, body swaying slowly, she felt a distinctly male pair of hands touch her wrists and ghost their way down her arms, sides and waist to settle low on her hips, fingers splayed across her abdomen. At first she thought it was the man that came to dance with her and Cassidy, but the familiar scent and feel of him against her back when he pressed himself against her set off the warning alarm.

_'Cause I am, I am, I'm that pretty piece of flesh  
>I am a pretty piece of flesh<br>I am a pretty piece of flesh  
>I am a pretty piece of flesh, I am<em>

Austin leaned in close to her ear. "Ally…" He felt her tense against him but he pulled her body closer against his.

Whatever buzz she had fled as the deep voice purred in her ear. She stood her ground even though she wanted to flee the second she knew who it was, but no way was Austin going to chase her away from having a good time.

"What are you're doing, Austin?" She kept dancing against him, determined to show him he couldn't scare her.

_Stars collide, worlds divide with a pretty piece of flesh  
>Your little pretty piece of flesh<br>Stars collide, worlds divide with a pretty piece of flesh  
>Your little pretty piece of flesh<em>

"Dancing with my girl." She turned around with that familiar fire in her eyes then surprised him by wrapping her arms around his neck and grinding up against him. He wasn't sure what to make of her brazen behavior but he was more than willing to go along with it. She raised a hand to the back of his head and drew him down within millimeters of her parted lips. He was so sure she was going to kiss him until she spoke.

"I'm not your girl." The song faded out. Dropping her arms, she grabbed his and removed them from around her waist. "Thanks for the dance."

_Minx__!_ He wasn't going to let her off that easy. If she thought she could escape him, she had another thing coming. He watched her walk over to Dez who was already talking with Cassidy and headed straight for them.

Ally figured it out, or at least she thought she did. Cassidy must have told Dez where they were going and when he told Austin, it was obvious Austin had dragged Dez with him, because none of the other guys from the NCO club were with them. She played it cool, though. That was fine with her. She could handle him, she'd just ignore him like she had earlier tonight, although she would definitely refrain from dancing anymore. She'd felt his erection when he pressed it into her bottom and no matter how her body reacted; she wasn't going to give him that opportunity again tonight.

Turning around, she saw a very determined looking Austin walking towards her with a dangerous look on his face. She shook her head and laughed, what did he think he was going to do? "I'm going to the bathroom, be right back," she told Cassidy then walked away. Let him come after her, there was no way he could follow her into the ladies room.

**Wrong**.

No sooner had she walked into the bathroom and was fluffing her hair in front of the mirror than Austin came barging right in, locking the door behind him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? You can't be in here."

"The hell I can't. I've got no qualms about being in here just like you were in the men's room a few weeks ago with me. Now tell me, Ally. What the hell were you tryin' to prove out there?"

She turned back towards the mirror and continued primping. "I don't know what you're talking about. I have nothing to prove. Especially not to you."

"Fair enough. But what I wanna know is what's with the cold shoulder after that hot kiss yesterday?"

She whipped around and pointed a finger at him. "Don't you _dare_ go there. Don't you dare cheapen my apology by throwing that in my face."

"FUCK, Ally. That's not what I`m doing. I thought we were past that?" God, she was frustrating him to no end.

"We are. We're past everything and now you can leave."

"Stop kidding yourself. That's not what you want and we both know it." She laughed at him, **really** laughed at him and it pissed him off. "You want me to leave?" he asked angrily.

"Gee, I don't know," she laid the sarcasm on thick. "It's only what I just said, but maybe I don't. MAYBE... I want you to stay because I'm really in love with you and just can't admit it." _Okay, that sounded weird_ coming out of her mouth, even though it was only meant as a jibe.

"Okay, Dawson. If you want me to leave, then that's what I'll do."

"Finally!" She threw her hands up in the air. "Thank y-" he cut her off.

"BUT. We have some business that needs taken care of first before I walk out that door."

"And what's that?" She watched him tilt his head to the side and give her a sexy smirk, making her extremely nervous.

"There's the matter of that kiss you owe me. Time to pay up, sweetheart." He curled his tongue behind his teeth. Fine, he'd leave her be, but not before collecting that kiss. He planned on using it against her, make her so weak in the knees she couldn't deny her feelings. Leave her breathless and thinking hard, maybe it'll make her come to him for once after he left her like that.

"Uh-uh," she crossed her arms and leaned against the sink. "No way. You got your kiss back in the trench."

"Noooo, noooo," he shook his head at her. "I did that to shut you up cuz you couldn't keep from running that mouth of yours."

"I hate you," she seethed. "If you think I'm-"

"I'm not gonna leave till I get it, right here," he pointed to the floor. "Right now." He watched the anger flash across her face and smiled.

"Do you have my dog tags?" He nodded and pulled them out from under his shirt, dangling them so they rattled against his own.

"Ready to make the trade?" She held her hand out but he shook his head. "Tsk, tsk. You should know me better than that. I'm not givin' them back till after."

"You wear them?" _Obsessed much_? That was... disturbing. Good God, when this man had a goal in mind, he really pursued it. He'd had her in his cross-hairs for weeks on end, was dead set on getting her in bed and she got just a little bit more nervous as he neared her, hoping the adage wasn't true that persistence pays.

"Man's gotta be prepared," he shrugged indifferently. That's the excuse he came up with every morning he looked in the mirror and saw them. Of course now he'd grown attached to them, would miss them in a way after wearing them for so long. But if it got him the girl, the rightful owner, it was worth it.

"Fine." She leaned her palms on the sides of the sink and cleared her throat while shaking her hair to the side. "Let's just get this over with, shall we?" _Oh God, oh God, oh god_. He was already swaggering towards her with an evil glint in his eye, sneering in that dead sexy way that had her heart hammering in her chest. _If my body reacts, it reacts. No big deal, it's just a physical reaction to a really hot man who knows how to kiss_... among other things. Sure, that was one way to look at it, but was it the whole truth? No. And she knew it. "Just ONE kiss."

"That's all I want." _That's all it'll take_.

Oh yeah, he was going to drag this out for **all** it was worth, take his time, work her up, make her want it. Standing within inches of her, he raised a hand to run it over her hair then tilted his head and pulled a few strands up to press against his nose, inhaling its fragrance.

"What are you doing?" Her question came out weak, her voice a bit shaky. She watched his eyes close and a smile grace his lips as he sniffed her hair deeply. "I thought you were going to kiss me."

He let go of her silky locks and tucked them behind her ear. "Just takin' my time. Why?" He gave her a curious look. "Am I making you nervous?" He could see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice but knew she'd deny it. If she only knew that every time she did that, it was an open invitation for him to prove her wrong. She invited trouble with her defiant attitude. Her stubborn pride would be her undoing but of course he'd be right there making sure she enjoyed every second of it with no regrets.

"No."

"`Course not." _So predictable_.

"Can you please just get it over with?" He was up to something, she could tell from the mischief that danced in his eyes.

"Eh-eh-eh. This is MY kiss and I get to take however much time I want." She rolled her eyes at him and went to say something but he placed a single finger to her lips. "If you want this over with, then I suggest you keep quiet."

_Ooooooo, that smug bastard_. No problem, no problem at all,_ I'll stay quiet if that's what it takes_.

"Now where was I?" Removing his finger from her mouth, he reached for her face and threaded his fingers into her hair with both hands, bringing his lips within millimeters of hers. She closed her eyes on instinct, expecting him to kiss her but he held back. He turned his face and placed his cheek against hers, nuzzling it up and down gently before coming back to lean his forehead against hers. Her chest began heaving against his and the feel of her nipples tightening into pebbles through the thin cotton of both their shirts made him impossibly hard. He drew his fingers slowly through the full length of her hair then gently dragged his fingertips down the satiny ties of her shirt until his hands settled on her hips.

She opened her eyes to stare into his and watched in fascination as they turned a different shade of brown, the intensely russet hue becoming steadily clouded over with lust while his hands opened and closed, squeezing her hips in a pulsing rhythm. She knew she was in trouble when his thumbs began rubbing in teasing circles against the bare skin between where her top ended and skirt began. It was a tantalizing type of tickle meant to get her excited and damn... it was working. She tried to remain still but she could feel his heartbeat accelerating right along with hers they were pressed so intimately together with every ragged breath they took in unison.

What he really wanted was to hike up her skirt, lift her tiny body to sit on the counter and fuck her senseless, but he couldn't. If she was ever going to want him half as bad as he wanted her then he needed to give her just a sample, a taste of what she could have all the time if only she'd give herself over to him completely. The ultimate fantasy? For her to be the one to ask him to take her to his bed.

She sighed and closed her eyes when she felt the bulge between his legs dig into her belly as he buried his head into her neck, brushing his lips across her skin. His touch was light, lips soft as silk as he dragged them torturously slow up then down, over and over until he brought them close to her ear.

"Your scent drives me insane." Bending his knees, his hands traveled downward along with his lips as he feathered them over her throat, across her chest where her blouse met the top of her heaving breasts and up towards the opposite ear. His palms met with the smooth expanse of her bare thighs and he was grateful for her choice in wearing the ultra-short mini skirt. He moaned in appreciation then flicked his tongue out to trace the shell of her ear, enjoying the tiny gasp that escaped her when he did this.

Her knuckles turned red then white from gripping the counter tighter and tighter as the seconds wore on, trying desperately to fight his assault to her senses. Goosebumps on her skin, butterflies in her stomach, tingles of ecstasy racing through her veins to pulse deep in her womb... in a way she didn't want it to end but he had to kiss her sometime. Right? Why hadn't he kissed her yet? _Oh my, GOD_! Her eyes flew open wide and looked down. "What are you doing?" While her eyes had been closed, she didn't notice he'd managed to sink to his knees and had her skirt up around her waist.

"Giving you a kiss," he replied simply. She could say stop anytime she wanted to and he would, but he prayed she wouldn't as he reached her underwear and began pulling them ever so slowly downward.

"B-but... there?" She should have been horrified, should have pushed him away, tried to get herself to do just that but she was frozen right where she was.

"Never said I wanted to kiss the lips on that pretty face of yours." He watched her eyes go even wider. "Don' worry. Just one kiss... I promise."

The sight of him on his knees wanting to-do, to-do **that** to her was so arousing she felt a sharp pulse of need shoot straight through her exposed womanhood as he pulled her panties all the way down to her ankles. He gently lifted one foot and then the other to pull her underwear completely free from her body and oh God he had her so turned on, the way his eyes remained fixed on hers the entire time, like he was deliberately hypnotizing her to remain still. He did say it would be just one kiss... right?

He tucked her panties into the back pocket of his jeans and brought his gaze level with her naked sex. Sliding a hand behind her knee, he raised it over his shoulder, opening her up to his hungry, waiting mouth. Her musky scent was potent and she was glistening in her own juices. He breathed in the perfume of her arousal one more time then darted his tongue out to take small, tentative licks.

Like a kitten lapping cream, he kept his touch light, taking short swipes, pausing between each to savor the tang of her honey, purring deep from within his throat the way she infused his taste buds with her unique flavor. He was definitely going to clean her of every last precious drop before finally giving her that kiss. Working his way around her entire opening, he paused to pay special attention to her clit, licking it over and over then circling it with the very tip of his stiffened tongue. He spared a glance up at her face and was surprised she was actually still watching him. Seeing her glazed over expression, hearing her tiny, pleasure filled pants excited him beyond belief and he liked the fact she was watching him, hoped she'd continue to so she would remember this later. Bringing his attention back to the task at hand, he started just below her precious, dewy bud and licked one delectable, swollen fold slowly, caressing it tenderly with his tongue, running it around the entire perimeter of her heaven. Completing the circle where he began, he boldly pulled her clit between his lips to suck and pull on it, carefully gauging her reaction, hoping she would allow this to continue.

"Austin!" Her hands left the counter and grabbed his head. She closed her eyes tight against the suckling sensation to her needy button, her own head falling back as she gasped from the wash of ecstasy that swept through her belly. She wasn't sure how much more she could take, but one thing was sure, he'd made her desperate for release and she was sure if he kept that up, it wouldn't be long. "Ahhhh."

_Just a bit more, baby. _ Without warning, he plunged his tongue deep inside her opening, wrapping his mouth firmly around her pouty lips, purring as he turned rough in response to having her tiny hands pulling him harder against her. Both hands had remained on her hips during this time, but now he reached around to cup each side of her bottom firmly, pulling her into his mouth even deeper. To hell with breathing for now, her kittenish mewls filled his ears and drove him crazy wanting to devour her whole. He felt her quiver around his face and knew it was time.

Her legs began to shake uncontrollably, knees trembling, threatening to buckle any second under his attentions. She let go of him to reach back for the counter, feeling sure she'd have to hold herself up as her orgasm began winding its twisted path through her entire body.

Releasing his hold to her sweet ass and pulling back from her needy, twitching body, he very carefully removed her leg from his shoulder and set it down. She looked down at him, utter shock marking her every questioning feature. He placed a gentle yet sound kiss to her mound, pulled her skirt back in place and stood.

"Mmmmm," he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and smiled. "You taste as sweet as I thought you would."

She was so stunned; all she could do was to watch as he lifted her dog tags from his neck and placed it over her head. Did he mean to leave her like this? It certainly looked that way as he straightened his shirt and placed a hand to his crotch to adjust himself. No, he wouldn't do that, he's not capable, she knew he was just as horny as she was.

"All paid up now, Ally." He gave her a devious smirk then turned to unlock the door. When he opened it, there stood three women obviously waiting to get in and use the bathroom. "`Scuse me ladies," he said politely then sauntered proudly down the hallway. That was definitely the hardest thing he'd ever had to do, leave his girl like that **and** himself in such a desperate state of need, but _jus' let her think about that for a few days_. He didn't do it to be cruel, far from it actually. He did it to prove a point, that there was no denying they belonged together and sooner or later, she would have to accept it.

**To Be Continued…**

**oOo oOo oOo**

**Okay then… So… there's that, lol. Pondering curiously at how many screaming hate reviews I'm going to get for that cliffhanger… Let me ask you this…**

**You guys want more?**

**;)**


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